Written by Adam Schefter at ESPN.com
Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins is not expected to sign a long-term deal by Monday’s 4 p.m. deadline to sign franchise players to long-term contracts, but he is open to doing a deal with the team after this season, per a source familiar with the situation.
Washington still could make a last-minute push to try to get a deal done by the Monday deadline; however, Cousins fully intends to play this season under his franchise tag, worth $23.9 million in 2017.
There has been a positive, constructive tone to recent contract talks, per sources. However, Cousins prefers to wait to do a deal at this time, just as the Redskins preferred to wait to do a deal at this time last year.
It also means that Cousins will play this season, as he did last season, knowing that the better he plays, the more he will get paid after this season. But he also will become the first quarterback in NFL history to play two straight seasons under the franchise tag, giving him more leverage than any player has had in any recent year.
Washington still can use its franchise tag on him again next offseason for a third straight year, but it would cost the Redskins $34,478,784 to franchise him again. Under that scenario, Cousins would be unable to negotiate with any other teams.
Washington also could transition him for $28,732,320 million, but another team would have the ability to sign him to an offer sheet that Washington would then have seven days to match.
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