Should the Washington Redskins Consider Trading Kirk Cousins in 2013?

The Redskins selection of Kirk Cousins in the fourth round of 2012′s NFL draft had pundits scratching their heads.  Cousins was selected 100 picks after the Redskins drafted franchise QB Robert Griffin III. Washington ranked Cousins as the third best QB available and viewed him as a 2nd round pick over Ryan Tannehill and Brandon Weeden. Of course, that thought process had many questioning Washington’s evaluation of talent. But really, Washington ended up with the last laugh after watching Kirk Cousins slip in the NFL Draft.

Kirk Cousins RedskinsIn limited action, Cousins has a 68.8 completion percentage, 4 touchdowns and 3 interceptions while filling-in for an injured Robert Griffin III. Two of those interceptions came in Cousins’ first NFL action when Griffin suffered a concussion early in the season against the Atlanta Falcons. I point that out because Cousins was thrown into the fire against an undefeated team with minimum, if any, practice reps. That’s a lot to ask from a rookie QB.

Cousins’ biggest test came against the Baltimore Ravens when Griffin sustained an LCL sprain with 2 mins remaining in the 4th Quarter. Washington was down 8 points, but Cousins entered the game unfazed. Cousins negotiated the post-snap coverage and successfully orchestrated what will be one of the more memorable games in recent Washington Redskins’ history.

One week later, Cousins garnered his first professional starting QB gig against the Brandon Weeden-led Cleveland Browns. It wasn’t a cupcake match-up, as the Browns were riding high on a 3 game winning streak. They have an underrated defensive front and physical defensive backs. So, Cousins was definitely challenged and it was evident early in the game when he threw an interception. But Cousins was resilient and proved to be unfazed yet again, pulling out a huge win for the Redskins.

At this point, Kirk Cousins has put enough on film to prove he’s more than a capable quarterback. He justified Washington’s thought process when drafting him after selecting Robert Griffin III. Fortunately, Griffin has also justified the Redskins’ decision to put together that monumental trade sending two future first round picks and a 2012 second to the St. Louis Rams.

So the question is worth asking – should the Redskins consider trading Kirk Cousins in the off-season? In my opinion, it would be block-headed for them not to do their due diligence. The Washington Redskins will do whatever is in the best interest of the organization. Obviously, it takes two to tango and there are quite a few teams that will need an upgrade at the quarterback position in 2013. After talking to a few scouts, the supply may not match the demand. This would give the Redskins a ton of leverage.

According to a few scouts, Kirk Cousins would without a doubt be in the conversation for one of the top 3 QBs if he was entering the draft. “It doesn’t matter if you rank him 2nd or 3rd best, Cousins would definitely be a safer pick than most Quarterbacks entering the draft,” a scout said. “I’d definitely rank him directly behind N.C State QB Mike Glennon or West Virginia QB Geno Smith – whoever takes over that top spot – and there’s probably more questions about them than Cousins. They just have the bigger skill-set.” The main issue on Cousins – that scouts pointed out to me – is his inability to consistently drive the football. He did have problems doing that consistently against the Browns. However, that issue is fixable.

Of course, the way scouts and teams view players can vary. But if a team feels comfortable putting a 2nd on the table for Cousins – the Redskins should listen and attempt to negotiate a package that’s in the best interest of the team.

With Washington’s $18 million cap penalty in 2013 and the picks they sent to the Rams, they have to be flexible and consider all options. They need to recoup something and leveraging a capable QB typically gets you the most in return.

Another great point a scout has raised is that a team could trade for Cousins knowing they don’t have to re-sign him to a major contract. Most times, teams that trade for a back-up QB strike a deal during the QB’s contract year. In this case, a team could continue with Cousins’ rookie contract.

The Washington Redskins should consider trading Kirk Cousins and I believe they will. Of course, they must find a replacement to backup Robert Griffin III, if they do indeed decide to trade Cousins. That’s a tough task, but it’s easier than trying to find a franchise QB. Kirk Cousins is a strong leader and a capable QB that teams will think long and hard about this off-season. It’s a good problem for Washington to have.

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