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When the Washington Redskins traded for Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith, it was all but assumed that Kirk Cousins would finally hit free agency and be able to choose where he wants to play next. Apparently, that might not happen.
From ESPN's Adam Schefter:
The Washington Redskins will consider placing their franchise tag on quarterback Kirk Cousins so they can trade him and recoup some of the compensation they are sending to Kansas City for quarterback Alex Smith, per league sources.
As Schefter notes, tagging Cousins for a third time would drastically impact other teams' draft and free agency strategies, and it would prevent the signal caller from choosing where he plays for the next four to five years. To acquire Smith from Kansas City, Washington had to give up cornerback Kendall Fuller and a third-round pick, so they're hoping to at least get some assets back in exchange for Cousins.
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There is some inherent risk with this move, though. Cousins could delay signing the franchise tag for months, preventing the Redskins from making a deal before the draft, and for awhile after. During that entire time, Schefter notes that the $34.5 million tag would still be accounted for against the salary cap.
Cousins' camp could always tell possible trade partners that he won't sign a long-term deal with them either, choosing to hit free agency in 2019. Finally, they'd forfeit a 2019 compensatory draft pick if they ultimately pulled the tag rather than letting him walk now.
At this point, it's merely a consideration rather than a clear-cut decision to tag Cousins. If they end up doing so, the first day to franchise players is February 20th.
