Washington Redskins NFL Trade Rumors: Redskins Reportedly Not Trading Kirk Cousins Unless an Offer Blows Them Away
For the second year in a row, the Washington Redskins have decided to slap quarterback Kirk Cousins with the exclusive franchise tag. But he could still be traded, right?
Days before the National Football League (NFL) franchise tag deadline, ESPN's John Keim said Cousins would only accept a trade to the San Francisco 49ers. Former Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan is now the head coach for the 49ers. But after the Redskins gave him the tag, NBC Sports' Mike Florio said the team is unlikely to let him leave unless they receive an offer they could not refuse.
"One source with knowledge of the dynamics suggested that Washington will need to be 'blown away,' and that team president Bruce Allen will specifically be thinking of what the team gave up five years ago to get quarterback Robert Griffin III," Florio said in his report.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
The message is clear. The Redskins are not going to give Cousins away easily, so teams will have to give up a lot if they want to pry him away from Washington. With the exclusive franchise tag, Cousins' camp can't negotiate with other NFL teams, so this gives the Redskins all the negotiating rights.
Meanwhile, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com believes that Cousins isn't going anywhere this season. "They decided that they are not going to trade him to the San Francisco 49ers, they're not going to trade him anywhere. He's going to be their quarterback for the next year and that is that," he said on NFL.com.
The Redskins have put themselves in a bind by putting the tag on Cousins. If they don't get a long-term deal done by July 15, they will have to pay him $23.94 million next season. But Redskins head coach Jay Gruden remains optimistic that they can convince Cousins to sign a long-term contract before the deadline.
