During a Tuesday morning visit with our friends at the Sports Junkies at 106.7 the Fan in D.C., an interesting question was posed regarding Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins: Would he take the Derek Carr deal right now?
I said he wouldn’t, and that he shouldn’t. Here’s why.
Carr signed, as a practical matter, a six-year, $126 million contract. It pays $25 million in 2017, $22.5 million in 2018, $20 million in 2019, $19 million in 2010, $19.625 million in 2021, and $19.877 million in 2022. Of the amount, $40 million is fully guaranteed at signing.
Cousins already has signed a one-year franchise tender with a fully-guaranteed value of $23.94 million, only $1.06 million less than what Carr will receive in 2017. Then, come 2018, Cousins will get $28.7 million under the transition tag, $34.7 million under the franchise tag, or a free and clear shot at the open market.
Yes, Carr has $16.06 million more fully guaranteed at signing. To get that, however, he has made a six-year commitment. Cousins gets a fairly large bird in the hand on a one-year deal, along with the chance to chase an even bigger bird or two or more in the bush -- not to mention the $19.95 million bird that’s already been skinned and stuffed and mounted on his wall.
So, no, Cousins wouldn’t, and shouldn’t, agree to the same deal Carr received. Cousins’ specific circumstances justify a significantly better contract.