Redskins news: Players' compliments of Alex Smith indirectly slight Kirk Cousins

Washington Redskins players raving about newcomer Alex Smith also indirectly slights the guy who's now gone, Kirk Cousins.

The Washington Redskins began the offseason with the first big splash move around the league with the acquisition of Pro Bowl quarterback Alex Smith, which officially signaled the end of Kirk Cousins' tenure with the organization ahead of free agency.

In the months that followed, it has drawn attention to the personal-standing Cousins experienced with teammates throughout the latter years of his stay that became a little unhinged. According to Burgundy Blog, former longtime Redskins tight end Chris Cooley has voiced that many of the players have been impressed by Smith while taking subtle shots at their former quarterback.

What Cooley's hearing about Alex Smith from new #Redskins teammates: "A lot of the good things are like, Oh my God, this is what an NFL quarterback acts like."

— Burgundy Blog (@BurgundyBlog) June 8, 2018

There is some disdain within the organization that was settled in with the team in regards to their perception of what type of quarterback that Cousins was both on and off the field.

Much of this could be linked back to how he handled his contract situation that saw him turn down a multi-year deal while it contributed to the franchise placing the franchise tag for two consecutive offseasons.

This likely didn't rub his teammates the right way as he was never truly committed to the Redskins long-term with the desire more centered on getting a lucrative contract. Meanwhile, the arrival of Smith doesn't help his reputation with his former team as the 34-year-old has quickly ingrained himself in his new surroundings.

In a way, this could help him get off to a strong start in Washington as he attempts to translate that same level success he had with the Kansas City Chiefs over to this next stop in his career.

Cousins also has a chance to truly start over with the Minnesota Vikings with a chance to prove that he is the missing piece to push the franchise over to being a legitimate Super Bowl contender. This is a situation that he may more than anything else will help him turn the page from his time with the Redskins.