Kirk Cousins 365 thread

[Schneed10]

Goodness gracious, we're analyzing Instagram pictures. Just stahp it.

Let's get some cooler heads up in here. The fact that the Redskins tagged Cousins doesn't change a whole lot. The one thing they did do was choose the non-exclusive tag, so he can't go negotiate terms. You could look at that a couple ways:

1) They don't view two first round picks as adequate compensation for him, and thus if he signed with the 49ers and they declined to match, they wouldn't be happy with the compensation. The non-exclusive tag means they control the discussions around trade compensation. In doing so they strengthen their negotiating position. Play it out:

- SF contacts Washington about trading for Cousins. They'll give their #2 overall pick for Cousins and the 17th. Bruce and Scott say F you no way, go pound sand.

- Cleveland contacts Washington about trading for Cousins. They'll give two 1st rounders and a 3rd rounder. Bruce and Scott say now you're talking. OK, Kirk we give you permission to talk to the Browns about a contract, but not SF. SF isn't willing to offer adequate compensation, so F them. Cousins then decides do I want to play in Cleveland, or do I play under the tag one more time and try to get to free agency? There's still a risk the 'Skins lose him for nothing in 2018. But think about it from SF's standpoint - they can't even talk with him right now. So if they want him, they're going to come stronger with an offer. Or they'll say nah forget it, they'll do something else at QB, and then Cousins' leverage next year disappears.

It's basically a game of chicken between the Skins and the Niners. Force the Niners to have to think about 2018 as the earliest they could get their hands on Cousins. If they do something at QB between now and then, like drafting Trubisky, then some leverage shifts back to Washington.

2) While they haven't budged in their financial commitment to him yet, maybe they are planning on coming up between now and July 15, and they don't want John Lynch or anybody else to get in his ear. Maybe the Skins have a better read on this negotiation than we give them credit for. Maybe Cousins really does want to be a Redskin, and all he wants is for the team to get realistic with its offers.

Several reports have said that Cousins's preferred destination if dealt, would be the 49ers. Jason Reid also recently had his report that Cousins doesn't want to sign long term. It is certainly possible. But it's also possible those reports are leaking from the Cousins camp in an effort to gain leverage over Washington to extract the contract he wants from the team he wants to play with. He made the Pro Bowl as a 'Skin, and he likes familiarity and routine. There's a lot of reason to believe he wants to be a Washington Redskin, despite recent reports.

So when I step back from it, I see the Redskins trying to put the Niners in a position where they feel like they need to shit or get off the pot at QB. So they will either come with a strong trade offer, or they'll acquire a QB not named Kirk Cousins, and hopefully that will happen before July 15.

Then when July 15 comes, THAT's when the Redskins come with their best offer, when hopefully the Niners will be committed to a different QB, and the Skins won't feel like they need to make him the highest QB in the league.

When I war-game it, I just see a big game of three-way chicken right now, a game between the Cousins and Redskins and a game between the Niners and Redskins. Wait till July 15 and see who swerves first.