INDIANAPOLIS — The Washington Redskins have until March 1 to designate a player with the franchise tag, a deadline that is fast approaching, however general manager Scot McCloughan remains hopeful the team can reach an agreement with impending free agent quarterback Kirk Cousins before then.
McCloughan said he and Eric Schaffer, the Redskins’ vice president of football administration who oversees the salary cap, have both met with Cousins’ agent, Mike McCartney, while in Indianapolis for the NFL combine. According to McCloughan, the meeting was “very positive.”
Cousins also met with McCloughan at the team facility in Ashburn last week.
“I had a conversation with him last week in my office, as a matter of fact,” McCloughan said on Wednesday. “He’s a quality guy. He wants to be a Redskin. He knows the area, he knows the players, and he knows he’s respected. He knows the coaching staff, they respect him. He respects them and that’s very important in this business.”
If the Redskins do in fact use the franchise tag to retain Cousins, it would cost approximately $19 million. The hope is that the two sides can reach an agreement on a long-term deal, which would allow the team more flexibility in free agency spending.
“It’s not about the individual, it’s the sum of the parts,” McCloughan said. “There’s 52 other guys, not the same kind of talent level or financial investment, but I need to make sure the organization is taken care of. I want Kirk here and Kirk wants to be here. I think there’s a way we can get to that point.
“Long-term is what I’m looking for. We’re all looking for it. It’s the best thing for the organization, best thing for the players around him. You need to have more than one guy. You’ve got to surround people with football players and the option we have of not doing a franchise tag is the fact I have more money in free agency to take care of some spots. Could be defense, could be special teams, but it makes the team stronger. When it’s all said and done with the quarterback, you’re not measured on monetary value made, you’re measured on wins and losses and world championships.”
Speaking earlier at the combine, coach Jay Gruden echoed McCloughan’s optimism.
“They’re trying to get something done, obviously,” Gruden said. “And then we’ll have to wait and see. Right now we’re all in the same position. We’re just waiting to see what happens. I feel pretty good about it.”
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Redskins team president Bruce Allen said he doesn’t envision quarterback Robert Griffin on the roster next season and that the former 2012 NFC offensive rookie of the year will have opportunities elsewhere. The Redskins have until March 9 to cut Griffin without absorbing any of his salary, which is all but a formality at this point.
Gruden said he has not spoken with Griffin recently.
When asked if he was disappointed Griffin’s tenure in Washington has not worked out, Gruden said ” “no question about it.”
“I wish it would’ve worked out, really. He’s a great kid, obviously did everything in his power to win the job and keep the job. But, fortunately for Kirk, unfortunately for Robert, Kirk did an excellent job. It’s all about developing Redskins players, not just one guy. We have to develop a team. Whatever player give us the best chance to win, we have to go with and we just thought it was Kirk at that time. He proved us right.”
During the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. last month, McCloughan said the Redskins were in no rush to cut Griffin and that they would utilize the March 9 deadline. On Wednesday, McCloughan was asked again why Griffin remains on the roster and said he felt it was the right thing to do after the way he gracefully handled his benching last season.
Griffin, who was inactive for all but one game last season, has earned praise from Gruden and his teammates regarding the way he handled what McCloughan called a “very, very difficult situation.”
“The thing about it is, he’s a really good guy,” McCloughan said. “He’s been a really good player for the Redskins when he’s been on the field. He had the injury this year, and Kirk went through training camp and won the job in preseason, which is what Jay needs to do. The guy that wins the job wins the game. There was no reason for us to cut him earlier. He deserves respect, not just from me, but from the organization and what he’s done and person he’s been and what he did this year.”
• Anthony Gulizia can be reached at agulizia@washingtontimes.com.
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