Do the Redskins REALLY Need Five More Games to “Decide” on Kirk Cousins’ Future?

On the SB Nation network today, each NFL team site is discussing something that they didn’t expect from their team this season. As it pertains to the Redskins, I think there are more than a few options to consider:

• I didn’t expect Terrelle Pryor to be such a non-factor.
• I didn’t expect Matt Ioannidis to be as dominant as he has been—especially when healthy.
• I didn’t expect the Redskins to give away a 15-point lead in a matter of minutes when the season was very much on the line.

The list goes on of course, but for me, I REALLY didn’t expect to get here and find that the Redskins are still in “evaluation mode” on Kirk Cousins. Really? We’re talking about a guy this season who is (according to nfl.com stats):

• SECOND in the league in passing yards behind only Tom Brady
• FIFTH in passer rating in the league among quarterbacks who have attempted at least 200 passes
• SEVENTH in the league in passing touchdowns
• SIXTH in the league in completion percentage among quarterbacks who have attempted at least 200 passes
• SEVENTH in the league in terms of fewest interceptions thrown among quarterbacks who have attempted at least 200 passes
• SIXTH in total completions (despite being 11th in attempts per game)
• THIRD in the league for plays over 20 yards
• FIFTH in the league for plays over 40 yards
• In 43 starts, Kirk has led a game-winning drive at the end 11 times. That doesn’t include another seven, I believe, where he led us back and the defense promptly allowed the other team to score.

The list goes on (great beard, loves turkey legs, etc.) but I am kind of at my wit’s end wondering what Kirk Cousins STILL has to do for Dan Snyder to recognize that he has his franchise quarterback....and please don’t say “win a playoff game.” By that logic, a lot of very good quarterbacks would not be getting paid jack squat.

You won’t hear me argue that Kirk has no room to improve. In fact, I would put that firmly in the “reasons to pay him” category, because he is already pretty damn good!

And for the love of Sammy Baugh...why would you let it slip that you “need to see the next five games,” as Ian Rapoport reported, to make up your mind? Listen, when you are about to stroke that kind of check, EVERY DATA POINT you can get matters. It goes without saying—as in, NO NEED TO SAY IT.

I try and teach my kids that there are things you keep to yourself because the only possible outcome of saying the actual words is negative. You think Kirk Cousins and his agent don’t know they are being judged by the second these days? Of course they do, but hearing that Dan Snyder needs more time to decide is just a foolish message to have out there. I mean, either say nothing or say something like, “He has really given us a lot of reasons to want to keep him around here for his whole career.” It would still be a meaningless sentiment, and the last five weeks of the season would still be as important as they always would have been, but at least the guy you are COUNTING ON TO LEAD A PLAYOFF PUSH wouldn’t feel like his owner doesn’t know shit about football.

Kirk Cousins is WIDELY recognized as being AT LEAST an above average quarterback (I hate this sentence so much, because he is so much more than that, but I wanted to put something down we should all be able to agree on). His peers see it, the experts see it, and Redskins fans—for the most part—see it. We can and will have our argument over having the highest paid player in the league on our team or not, but we can’t overlook facts. Quarterback contracts are about timing and numbers. Kirk has the numbers, and his timing couldn’t be better. He is going to get PAID, and it damn well better be the Redskins paying him. Otherwise, what the hell are we doing? What is our goal as a football organization? Is Dan Snyder watching what is happening around the league? Does he not see the league is LITTERED with shitty quarterbacks?

I promised myself I wouldn’t get worked up over this today. I guess I also need to see what happens AFTER the next five weeks to decide if Dan Snyder and Bruce Allen give a shit about running a professional football organization or if they just want to act like all of us are idiots—as if all of us don’t know that both the Redskins and the Cousins camp are fully aware of the number it is going to take to get it done. If the Redskins lowball him, it is because they don’t want him, not because they are trying to save money. The market is the market. Quite frankly, I am surprised that we are here. I really am.

Pay this man please.