Schefter: Washington Considering the Franchise Tag for Cousins

[pimp on da' net]

6 hours ago, 26CornerBlitz said:

 

I am calling that bluff, all day!

 

[Patrick Duffy]

6 hours ago, Yo no se said:

I would love if They did this and the rest of the NFL called their bluff. $34 million dollar backup. 

Lol, exactly

[Estro]

Smart move and an easy call I think.  Denver or one of those teams will give up a draft pick.  It comes down to: does every single team interested in Cousins opt to say let's screw the Redskins salary cap and force them to pay Cousins......or does 1 team say, "screw it we need a QB so bad, I care more about our success than screwing the Redskins, give them our 3rd rounder this yr."

 

I'd bet big time on the latter.  Redskins still have leverage if they apply the franchise tag so they should.

[KRT88]

Let's say they did this, couldn't Cousins and his agent just immediately sign the franchise contract and thus making him untradable? Who's going to pick up a 30 million contract? Or it could go the other way and teams just wait, knowing they'll have to remove the tag sooner or later. 

 

 

[BuffBillsForLife]

Thank god Snyder doesn't own the Bills.

[Real McClappy]

SKins lost 100% all trade value once they traded for Smith (or agreed to). They botched this up badly and just need to move on.

 

Skins fans are so pissed off. LMAO

Edited February 4, 2018 by Real McCoy

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

7 hours ago, BigBuff423 said:

Honestly, I’m in the minority but I think this is smart. Because, while it’s possible every other team says No thanks, it’s much more proabable a team like the Jets offers them a second round pick and sign him long term, and if they don’t, SOMEONE will offer a 3rd, and that means Skins get something guaranteed without pinning hopes on Comp pick. 

 

To me, they see high demand with little supply and believe they use the market to their advantage.

 

The first time I looked at your screen name, thought it said BigBLuff which would have been fitting as I think that is all this is on Washington's part, a big bluff hoping to get some team to buy this rumor and offer them a high pick.  But doubt any GM's are dumb enough to fall for it and it really complicates things too much for Washington and too much risk.

 

 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

2 hours ago, JaCrispy said:

If Cousins signs the Franchise Tag, wouldn’t the Skins eventually have to cut him, anyway, if they can’t find a trade partner? 

 

Wouldn't help them to send the Turk.  Once they offer the Franchise Tag and Cousins "John Hancocks", that $34.5M is foo-lee gar-runt-teed.

[JaCrispy]

1 minute ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Wouldn't help them to send the Turk.  Once they offer the Franchise Tag and Cousins "John Hancocks", that $34.5M is foo-lee gar-runt-teed.

Ahhh I see...surprised they would even contemplate it then...seems like the Skins would be playing with fire- unless I am missing something.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

1 hour ago, KRT88 said:

Let's say they did this, couldn't Cousins and his agent just immediately sign the franchise contract and thus making him untradable? Who's going to pick up a 30 million contract? Or it could go the other way and teams just wait, knowing they'll have to remove the tag sooner or later.

 

Once Cousins signs, it makes him tradeable, not untradeable.  The receiving team is free to negotiate a long term contract with Cousins, and would presumably (as with Smith) settle on mutually acceptable terms before executing the trade.  They can negotiate a 5 year contract that gives him a $50M signing bonus prorated over 5 years and a salary of $0.01 in 2018 but a salary of $27M next year. 

 

[GoBills808]

Dumb idea from an idiotic FO. Condolences to Alex Smith.

[Augie]

Bottom line?  

 

It’s a good day to be Kirk Cousin$....

 

Every possible option offers generational wealth. Some might suit him more than others, but none are “bad”. 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

1 minute ago, JaCrispy said:

Ahhh I see...surprised they would even contemplate it then...seems like the Skins would be playing with fire- unless I am missing something.

 

"Baby, you ain't missing nothing'"

 

The other risk is one KtD and LaCanfora alluded to.  The franchise tag was negotiated into the CBA as a way for a team to hold onto a player while they negotiate in good faith for a long term deal, not a way for a team to make a "compensation grab" on a player they've clearly moved on from.  After arranging a trade and a 4 year contract for Smith, it would be pretty hard for the Redskins to make an argument that they intend to negotiate in good faith for a long term deal with Cousins.

4 hours ago, Augie said:

 

If it’s ME, that’s why. He’s played this whole thing very well from a financial perspective, and I fully understand HE can other priorities but the one year guaranteed for well above market rates is appealing to ME too. I wonder how much everybody is just posturing here, but we’ll never really know...

 

It’s a serious gamble for the Redskins, but saying it and doing it are two different things. This should be interesting, even if the Bills are not involved. 

 

I understand your point.  I think Cousins looks at it that 4 years, $100M, with $50M fully guaranteed >>> $34.5M

A guy with $43.8M banked over the last 2 years, can likely sleep on a mere $34.5M as you or I wouldn't.

 

[Augie]

31 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

I understand your point.  I think Cousins looks at it that 4 years, $100M, with $50M fully guaranteed >>> $34.5M

A guy with $43.8M banked over the last 2 years, can likely sleep on a mere $34.5M as you or I wouldn't.

 

 

And I fully get your point. Bottom line is everyone, Cousins included, needs to do what makes THEM happy. I don’t know what I would do, because I’m not in those shoes. But I appreciate the idea of almost a $10 mil surplus by signing above market. He can almost certainly sign the 4 year $100 mil after holding a clip board for a year. It might even be MORE by then! 

 

Two things are certain: I’m glad I’m not a Redskins fan, and the Cousins family will be just fine financially. 

[Freddie's Dead]

Once Cousins signs the sheet, doesn't anybody he's traded to have to cough up the $34M?  I don't see that happening.  If you thought Ralph was bad, Snyder is worse.

[Doc]

5 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

The other risk is one KtD and LaCanfora alluded to.  The franchise tag was negotiated into the CBA as a way for a team to hold onto a player while they negotiate in good faith for a long term deal, not a way for a team to make a "compensation grab" on a player they've clearly moved on from.  After arranging a trade and a 4 year contract for Smith, it would be pretty hard for the Redskins to make an argument that they intend to negotiate in good faith for a long term deal with Cousins.

 

Yeah but Cousins has the power to sign that tender and really stick it to them.  That's his leverage.  And if he doesn't, the Skins trade him to someone who will give him a long-term deal.

[cba fan]

1 hour ago, Freddie's Dead said:

Once Cousins signs the sheet, doesn't anybody he's traded to have to cough up the $34M?  I don't see that happening.  If you thought Ralph was bad, Snyder is worse.

You would have until July to negotiate a long term deal.

 

If Skins franchise him they must keep 34 mill or what ever it is available on there salary cap. If Cousins signs the tender the 34 mill is on Redskins cap unless they trade him. If they cut him they still are hit.

 

If they franchise him they would not be able to complete the Smith trade and new contract until they cut or trade a bunch of other guys. KC needs the cap relief now mar 14 as they are over the cap. Skins likely would have to rescind the franchise tag or be in a complete mess if Cousins signs the tender and then refuse to play trade salary contract ball with new team.

[Kelly the Dog]

23 minutes ago, Doc said:

 

Yeah but Cousins has the power to sign that tender and really stick it to them.  That's his leverage.  And if he doesn't, the Skins trade him to someone who will give him a long-term deal.

Who knows what would really happen but I am not only a crazy person, but it's Super Bowl Sunday and I have been drinking shots of Jameson all day, more than people named Jameson with a coupon in Dublin on St. Patrick's Day after their dead old 95 year old mother died. But why wouldn't Cousins say to any team that is about to sign him, "Don't trade anyone to those bastards. They are not going to keep me. I want all the picks and players on my new team I can keep. You're my new guys now. Call their bluff. I'm signing with you."

[Saxum]

14 hours ago, Kirby Jackson said:

I think that Cousins should just sign the tag and be like “cool.” I’ll just back up Alex Smith and make $35M or whatever it is. I’d fake an injury early in the year (nothing serious though) so that I didn’t have to play and hit FA again next year $35M richer. 

 

Planters Fakeitis is an excellent injury - ask Byrd for physician references.

[Kirby Jackson]

3 minutes ago, Limeaid said:

 

Planters Fakeitis is an excellent injury - ask Byrd for physician references.

100% that should be his plan