Cory's Corner: Kirk Cousins shows Redskins' warts

Teams are supposed to be a cohesive unit.

The word most generally associated with successful teams has been family.

That word will not be associated with the Washington Redskins in 2017. After Kirk Cousins didn’t sign a long-term deal with Washington, team president Bruce Allen tweeted that the deal the Redskins offered Cousins “would have made him at least the second-highest player by average per year in NFL history.”

So now that Cousins rebuffed Washington’s offer, the 28-year-old will play this year under the franchise tag and be paid $23.9 million.

What did the Redskins expect? Even with the offer being plentiful, why would Cousins want to stay in Washington D.C. anymore than he must? That is also another subplot because Cousins could be slapped with the unheard of third franchise tag for a whopping $34.5 million next year or Washington could use the transition tag on him for $28.8 million.

I haven’t been the biggest Cousins fan but he has the fifth-highest cumulative accuracy rate over the last two seasons, and Cousins was No. 3 according Pro Football Focus’ QBR last year. And he’s done it all by being ranked No. 3 in the NFL in yards per attempt at 8.11 last season.

We all know that quarterbacks are the quickest way to the Promised Land in the NFL. Yet, surprisingly, Washington misplaced the memo.

That franchise made a huge mistake when it mismanaged Robert Griffin III. It saw the former No. 2 overall pick get hurt and fall apart right before their eyes. Obviously the $21.1 million guaranteed contract was hard to swallow but not signing Cousins last year and now this year just proves that this team is afraid of doing the same thing again.

However, what the organization is about to go through is worse. When practice starts for the Redskins on July 27, how much extra will Cousins feel compelled to do? And thanks to the unnecessary comments by Allen, how willing should Cousins be to go the extra mile to solidify relationships?

The Redskins didn’t fail recently, they failed during this past draft. The moment it became clear that Cousins wasn’t going to sign a long-term extension with the Redskins was when the team should’ve looked harder for a trade partner.

Aaron Rodgers has addressed his contract after Derek Carr became the highest paid player in the league. But how awful would the team’s relationship be if general manager Ted Thompson said that Rodgers’ contract is making him plenty of money and he doesn’t need anything else.

Granted, Cousins is betting on himself this season. If he takes a huge step backward, his offers will either be muted or be drastically reduced. But I don’t see that happening because Washington got better at wideout with the addition of Terrelle Pryor.

Cousins made a strong step by not signing his name. He knows that cohesiveness matters and he sees the Redskins slowly crumbling around him.

Because a team that hesitates to ink it’s best player two years in a row isn’t a sign of strength. 

 

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Cory Jennerjohn is a graduate from UW-Oshkosh and has been in sports media for over 15 years. He was a co-host on "Clubhouse Live" and has also done various radio and TV work as well. He has written for newspapers, magazines and websites. He currently is a columnist for CHTV and also does various podcasts. He recently earned his Masters degree from the University of Iowa. He can be found on Twitter: @Coryjennerjohn

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Comments (13)

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Handsback's picture

July 18, 2017 at 07:50 am

The Redskins have lost a lot of their organization cohesiveness and it shows when they fall into situations like this.

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jeremyjjbrown's picture

July 18, 2017 at 08:36 am

I was hoping he'd sign, as the damage he can do to the Packers is limited by the Redskins overall stupidity. Now after he gets his 50 mil he can go wherever he wants and be rich enough to offer a discount for a chance at a ring if that's his goal.

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dobber's picture

July 18, 2017 at 09:04 am

You're right: with QB being the marquee (marquis? mar-key?) position in the league, he's going to get a mint wherever he signs (unless he suffers a Teddy Bridgewater or Joe Thiesmann-esque injury).

"And thanks to the unnecessary comments by Allen, how willing should Cousins be to go the extra mile to solidify relationships?"

The fact that he still needs to get someone to pay him his fortune is going to compel him to be as much of a "team player" and pay close attention to the "little things" now as if he were the man for the 'Skins and under a 6-8 year deal. Players, coaches and management types talk and he's gotta be as close to squeaky-clean as he can. He's smart enough to know that his future might still be in Washington, so he can't burn those bridges.

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TKWorldWide's picture

July 18, 2017 at 10:38 am

I believe the correct term is "Markee-Mark".
Good vibrations.

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dobber's picture

July 18, 2017 at 12:02 pm

Yes, I can feel it, feel it...

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TKWorldWide's picture

July 18, 2017 at 01:08 pm

LOL
And thank you for playing along.

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jeremyjjbrown's picture

July 18, 2017 at 07:32 pm

It was a sweet sensation.

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Handsback's picture

July 18, 2017 at 09:27 am

It appears, to add to the story, Cousins never came to the table with an offer. Just waited to see what the Redskins would give him. Details were on PFT. If that's the case, with many of his targets gone, he'll find another another team next year but not at the price he he's getting now.

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TKWorldWide's picture

July 18, 2017 at 10:39 am

I thought RG3 was their man?? ~~~

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jeremyjjbrown's picture

July 19, 2017 at 11:27 am

They've rolled back to KC1...

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LayingTheLawe's picture

July 18, 2017 at 11:58 am

Players contract situations have little to do with how much of a family and how cohesive that team is. Players generally understand that you gotta do what you gotta do in negotiating your deal and once that's done you ball out on the field. I don't follow the Redskins so I have no idea what the players think of all this, but I am sure most feel that it is no big deal that their QB is getting a "mere" 24 mill this year and just want him to work when he's there.

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Thegreatreynoldo's picture

July 19, 2017 at 09:39 am

Other than injury, Cousins figures to get $20M+ even if he has a bad year.

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Arthur Jackson's picture

July 19, 2017 at 01:17 pm

Even if injured the FT is guaranteed money so he is making 23 million this season. No guarantees for next season, of course, which signing the Redskins offer would have meant 30 million more guaranteed. But, next year's FT is suppose to be north of 30 million so the claim is that the Skins essentially were only offering a one year deal. Barring a career ending injury Cousins sets himself up for either another FT or a even bigger signing bonus. Even if he flops and the Skins elect to move on he has two pretty good seasons prior that should make him some bank. Considering a bum like Mike Glennon got 18.5 million, and Brock Osweiler got 37 million I get what Cousins is thinking.

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