The talk last month regarding quarterback Kirk Cousins’ chances at landing a long-term contract before the July 15 deadline for players with franchise tags to sign them was focused on the deadline itself.
Both Cousins and Redskins president Bruce Allen said that they think the deadline will be the driver in any push for a deal that would take Cousins off the franchise tag carousel he’s been riding since the end of the 2014 season. Now comes word that the two sides are reportedly picking up talks with the deadline a little more than a month away.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Allen and Cousins’ agent Mike McCartney had their first face-to-face meeting about the contract for the first time in two years at last month’s league meetings. They have since met a second time, which is part of an “improved, encouraging tone” that has created hope that a deal could get done by the deadline or after the 2017 season if things don’t move quite that quickly.
Cousins is currently set to play for a salary of just under $24 million on his second franchise tag and Allen has said the team is open to using a third one, which would push the quarterback’s salary and cap number near $35 million in 2018. It also sets some contract parameters for the sides to discuss over the next month if everyone involved would like to avoid doing this dance again next year.