The Washington Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins have had preliminary contract discussions, and the team has reportedly expressed desire to keep Cousins as their future franchise quarterback but will need him to prove it down the stretch of this season, according to NFL reporter Albert Breer.
"That's what we need to find out," said head coach Jay Gruden about Cousins being the Redskins' franchise quarterback, via NFL. "The quarterback position, you gotta be consistent. And if there is knock on Kirk, it's that he played great here for a quarter or a half, and then he has a couple brain farts and throws a couple bad balls. He needs to be highly consistent over time. But arm talent-wise, leadership skill-wise, there's no question he can be a very good quarterback for a long time. You just keep repping him, keep coaching him. Every week is different."
Cousins is on the last year of his contract, and will be due big money, especially if he can lead Washington to a playoff birth this season. The Redskins currently sit at 4-6 on the season and are only one game behind the New York Giants in the NFC East. Washington has been consistently up and down all year. Two weeks ago, they beat the New Orleans Saints 47-14 and followed that up with a crushing defeat to the Carolina Panthers 16-44.
The Redskins face the Giants this Sunday, and Cousins and the Redskins know that first place in the division is on the line. "We'll get back to work for the Giants, and certainly again, like after the Patriots game, have an edge to us and feel like we have something to prove," said Cousins about his team bouncing back after a loss, via the Redskins' team website.
The Redskins lost to the Giants back in September, and head coach Jay Gruden knows that his team will find themselves in a deep hole if they lose Sunday. "It's a one-game season," said Gruden, via ESPN. "If we have any desire at all to play 17,18 or 19 games we have to take care of business Sunday."
The Redskins front office will be keeping a close on eye on Cousins in the final six games of the season. Cousins has struggled to stay consistent, as he threw four touchdowns against the Saints two weeks ago and followed that up with just a touchdown and interception against the Panthers. The obvious difference is the defense he has played each week, but if the Redskins truly want to see if Cousins is their future franchise quarterback, he will need to win games against top-tier teams. The Redskins are reportedly interested in making Cousins their franchise quarterback, but how he plays in the these final six games could determine how much and how long of a contract he gets.
