Kirk Cousins has been one of the top performing quarterbacks in the NFL over the last two weeks. He has been turning heads and has the Washington Redskins looking like a playoff team. There is still plenty of time for them to fall off before the playoffs, but the Redskins are a team to watch in the NFC.
While he may be playing some of the best football of his career, Cousins may not have changed the Redskins’ mind about the contract situation from last offseason.
According to a report from Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk , the Redskins are “undecided” about a contract extension for Cousins and that no decision will be made until after the season. Any deal that the two sides could agree on would be very expensive. That being said, franchise quarterbacks aren’t easy to come by and Cousins is proving himself to be just that for Washington.
Needless to say, that isn’t what most Redskins’ fans wanted to hear. Cousins has become a fan favorite and has brought excitement and expectations back to the Washington fan base.
. @KirkCousins8 is setting himself up for a major payday in the offseason: https://t.co/kEjMzRoiIf (Via @ChrisWesseling ) pic.twitter.com/BOfA7frUrk
— NFL (@NFL) November 27, 2016
Throughout the course of the 2016 NFL season thus far, Cousins has completed 68.4 percent of his pass attempts for 3,540 yards, 20 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He is second in the NFL in passing yardage this year, trailing just New Orleans Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees in that category.
At 28-years-old, now is the time for the Redskins to give him a long-term deal. Giving him a four- or five-year deal would be perfect. Cousins is more than capable of playing at this level until he is 33 or 34-years-old.
Washington currently has a 6-4-1 record this season and Cousins has been a big part of that. They would make the playoffs if the season ended today.
Last year, Cousins was able to lead the Redskins to the playoffs and the NFC East division title. He completed 69.8 percent of his pass attempts for 4,166 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. Those numbers were what immediately made Cousins a much pricier quarterback for Washington to re-sign.
Is Kirk Cousins the NFL’s most underrated QB? https://t.co/3pqVCNO1oG #HTTR pic.twitter.com/BkSoqwSLRl
— R.D. Smith (@thisistheray) November 17, 2016
It will be interesting to see what the upcoming offseason has in store for Cousins and the Redskins. If they are unable to come to an agreement on a new long-term deal, Washington will likely place the franchise tag on him. There is not much of a chance that they will let him get away and have to start from scratch under center.
Washington cannot afford to let their star quarterback get away. After the failed experiment with former No. 2 overall pick Robert Griffin III, Cousins has been the savior of the franchise. Cousins was actually drafted in the fourth round of the same draft that the Redskins selected Griffin.
If the Redskins decide to mess around with Cousins another offseason, he may choose to write the off next offseason. Cousins wasn’t terribly happy with management in Washington with the way they treated him in free agency this time around.
. @KirkCousins8 ? He’s the real deal.
Just ask @Favre4Official : https://t.co/b7ratMsTtk pic.twitter.com/I8vtZjS7Yb
— NFL (@NFL) November 23, 2016
All of that being said, Washington fans shouldn’t begin worrying about Cousins’ contract status yet. He seems to be very happy where he’s at, as long as the Redskins are willing to take care of his contract. Cousins is too important for Washington to let get away, which means despite the rumors there is a very good chance the two sides end up getting a new contract taken care of.
Expect to hear plenty more rumors about Cousins over the next few weeks as the season moves forward.
Do you think the Washington Redskins should prioritize a long-term deal with Kirk Cousins? What kind of money do you think he deserves? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below!
[Featured Image by Michael Ainsworth/AP Images]