This is one entry in a six-part series about where Kirk Cousins will land as a free agent for the 2018 season.
After taking his talents to South Beach and the Miami Heat, LeBron James returned to Cleveland. It’s a reminder that, in sports, fractured relationships can be repaired and that there is no place like home.
Kirk Cousins is not from D.C., but he grew up in the NFL with the Redskins and should stay with the team. It’s on the Redskins to make the deal and they need to make Cousins feel loved. They made Cousins the first quarterback to ever play back-to-back seasons under the franchise tag and, despite the money involved, there is a level of underappreciation that goes with that.
This is a critical point in the Redskins’ franchise history and it’s time for the team to end its internal debate over whether or not Cousins is worth the money and focus on what it will take to keep him. The Redskins must send a strong signal to Cousins that he is their quarterback and deliver an offer he can’t refuse.
It is true Cousins’ resume of results is underwhelming. In three seasons as the Redskins starting quarterback, Cousins was only able to guide the team to one playoff appearance and records of 9-7, 8-7-1, and 7-9. But since taking over for RG3, Cousins is third in completion percentage and sixth in passer rating among NFL QBs.
There is evidence that the best is yet to come from Cousins. The team knows his work rate and approach and should appreciate that he is already only the quarterback in franchise history (and only 11th in NFL history) to reach 4,000 yards passing in three consecutive seasons.
More than the numbers, Cousins has demonstrated, even playing under the temporary cloud of the franchise tag, that he is in charge. Offensive linemen Trent Williams recently told The Washington Post of his pride in protecting Cousins because he knows that he is a very good quarterback when he is standing upright.
This is not the time to start over and see what Colt McCoy has to offer, or look for a less expensive option in the free agent market. The Redskins already committed to sticking with head coach Jay Gruden, who elevated Cousins to starting status. Now they need to stick with Cousins.
The case for the…
Arizona Cardinals | Cleveland Browns
Denver Broncos | Jacksonville Jaguars | New York Jets
