Don't Expect the 49ers to Land Redskins Quarterback Kirk Cousins in Free Agency
The San Francisco 49ers need a quarterback this offseason, and Washington Redskins QB Kirk Cousins is one of the top-named targets. But one shouldn’t even expect him to hit the free-agent market.
Quarterback Kirk Cousins to the San Francisco 49ers. It makes sense, right?
After all, presumed head coach Kyle Shanahan was influential in the Washington Redskins drafting Cousins in Round 4 of the 2012 NFL Draft. The ties are there.
So is the need. With incumbent starter Colin Kaepernick expected to opt out, and both Blaine Gabbert and Christian Ponder becoming free agents, the Niners need a signal-caller badly.
francisco 49ers
Niner Noise 23hSuper Bowl LI Predictions: Falcons Running Back Devonta Freeman Wins MVP Award
More headlines around FanSided:
1 d - Film Room: Examining the Kyle Shanahan Offense Part 1 -- The Passing Game1 d - Super Bowl LI: 5 Things the 49ers Can Learn from the Falcons and Patriots1 d - Why GM John Lynch Hiring Adam Peters Is Huge for the 49ers2d - Super Bowl LI: 5 Former 49ers Playing in Sunday's Showdown in Houston2d - NFL Free Agency: Predicting Best Moves for the 49ers in 2017More News at
Despite all this, it’s almost certain Cousins isn’t available.
The Redskins slapped the franchise tag on Cousins prior to 2016 — a move that cost Washington $19.953 million against the cap.
“I’ll tell ya, it’s good to be wanted. So hopefully down the road there will be people wanting me,” Cousins told KNBR 680 on Thursday (h/t Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News). “”But we’ll see how it all plays out.
“The unique thing with the franchise tag is if the Redskins choose to place that on me, then I’m pretty much off the market,” Cousins added. “So we’ll see what they choose to do on March 1st. And the ball is in their court, along those lines, but based on that, I’ll react accordingly.”
According to Neil Greenberg of the Washington Post, the cost Washington would dish out on another franchise tag in 2017 would be $23.94 million.
Of course, the Redskins could open up the pocketbook too.
Most likely, Cousins won’t be made available to hit the free-agent market this offseason. With options at the position few and far between, this does put San Francisco in a bit of a bind.
More from Niner Noise
This article originally appeared on 
