NFL Rumors: Kirk Cousins To 49ers Trade Nears, QB ‘Privately Expressed’ Interest In Playing For Coach Shanahan

As the NFL trade deadline draws near, several teams are expected to make a move or two to fill up the needs to improve on their roster. The latest NFL rumors suggest that the San Francisco 49ers will be trading for Kirk Cousins of the Washington Redskins.

Kirk Cousins and the Washington Redskins are yet to have an agreement regarding a long-term deal. The 29-year-old quarterback is currently in his second year playing under the franchise tag, and there are speculations that the Redskins will place him under the third consecutive franchise tag in the upcoming offseason.

Earlier this month, Redskins head coach Jay Gruden urged the team to re-sign Cousins. However, giving him a one-year franchise tag would cost Washington approximately $35 million. According to Kevin Van Valkenburg of ESPN, Kirk Cousins felt insulted by the Redskins’ offers in the past years, and the quarterback would be open to playing for one of his former offensive coordinators-turned-head coaches.

“Publicly, Cousins has never shown signs he holds a grudge,” Van Valkenburg wrote. “He’s said all the right things, gushed about the city and the fans on social media. But privately, he has told several people he is open to reuniting with Kyle Shanahan, the former Washington offensive coordinator who is the 49ers’ head coach. Or maybe Sean McVay, another former offensive coordinator, who is now running the Rams.”

If the Redskins have no intention to franchise tag him, it will be best for them to trade Kirk Cousins before the deadline than lose him in free agency without getting anything in return. According to Mike Sando of ESPN, the San Francisco 49ers emerged as the top trade destination for the quarterback.

“San Francisco is the most obvious destination for Cousins now that former Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan is the 49ers’ coach. San Francisco’s decision to bypass quarterbacks early in the 2017 draft after signing Brian Hoyer as a bridge to the future increased speculation that the team was targeting Cousins in 2018. The draft ammo San Francisco added in the Mitch Trubisky trade with Chicago could help the 49ers justify acquiring Cousins by trade if necessary.”

The 49ers are currently in a dire need of starting caliber quarterback in which Kirk Cousins would be a perfect fit. Cousins also had a close relationship with 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, who was a former Redskins offensive coordinator. According to 247sports.com, Cousins has “privately expressed” interest in playing for Shanahan in the future.

If Cousins will be officially available on the trading block, it will only be a matter of time before fans see him wearing a 49ers’ jersey. However, as Sando noted, there is still a possibility that the 49ers will pass on trading for Cousins and draft a quarterback in 2018. With their current status, San Francisco could secure a top-five pick in the 2018 NFL draft.

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