From the same people who brought us "Are You In?!?" and spread around drinking problem stories about Scot "McLovin" McCloughan a few months ago comes yet another doozy. Bruce Allen, in his statement following the franchise tag deadline, tried to persuade you and I that the Washington Redskins made every effort to keep Kirk Cousins and that it was the player who never seriously engaged in negotiations. Notwithstanding that the offer Bruce says the team made was flat out BELOW MARKET, the release of such a statement seems somewhat self-defeating...and bush league.
Before he complained about Kirk Cousins not agreeing to take $40 million less than the rest of the entire planet knows he will get on the open market, Bruce Allen led me to believe that a possible future with Kirk Cousins existed. After Allen's attempt to place all the blame for the lack of a long term deal on Kirk's selfishness...I am skeptical.
Because of information readily available to the entire universe, we know that Kirk is very much in line to make at least $58 million in guaranteed money—equal to this year's and next year's franchise tag—over the next two years. Franchise tags drive the value of guaranteed portions in contracts. We have been over this, and the first part was actually argued exactly a year ago...in...this...same...situation. So Bruce Allen offered Kirk less than he has coming in multiple ways, and then he nailed Cousins publicly for not being interested in the deal.
Who cares what the deal means in terms of "highest paid this" and "most guaranteed that?" Those things change every single year...ESPECIALLY at the quarterback position. All that matters is what the market says. (Before anyone starts feeling sorry for the owners, don't worry, they have literally hundreds of millions of dollars to pay players.) Bruce Allen's offer was below market. He's not Don Corleone. Kirk and his agent aren't doing a back-alley drug deal. As long as he stays relatively healthy this season, he is in line for a $90 million guarantee on his future deal...maybe more. That makes the $53 million offer from the Redskins seem like...less. That makes Kirk's decision...easy to understand, and that $90 million is IN ADDITION to this year's $24 million. I mean, IT'S NOT EVEN CLOSE!!! I feel like the fact Bruce actually gave us contract specifics is kind of insulting. As in, does he think we're all idiots? Does he think we don't understand that Kirk is, and has been, in charge of this thing the entire time? Kirk is displaying the guile of Littlefinger, the patience of Varys and has a bigger chip on his shoulder than the one Tyrion carries.
I don't understand how Bruce Allen could read his own statement and not be at least somewhat confused about its purpose. In addition to admitting that the Redskins offer was not even close to good enough, it also kicks off what will ABSOLUTELY be a circus for the ages over the next eight months. A year of uncertainty just wasn't good enough for Bruce Allen. He wanted this town to go full Westworld for a season. Bruce's statement could pass as a deleted scene from Reservoir Dogs. He started some shit. He really, really did.
With our quarterback.
Call me crazy, but that strikes me as colossally foolish from both a business AND football standpoint. From a business standpoint, a top free agent may not appreciate having his team suggest he doesn't care about the team. From a football standpoint, he's our freaking quarterback. All of our success this season is tied to his performance. Maybe you don't publicly go to war with that guy in July?
To summarize:
- The Redskins PR Department has gone on the offensive...against its most prized offensive piece.
- Bruce Allen wants you and I to believe that Kirk Cousins should have thanked him for his lowball offer.
- The chances for Kirk Cousins finishing his career in burgundy and gold shrank considerably.