Short answer, Washington Redskins Quarterback Kirk Cousins has made himself a lot of money this season with his performance. He is due for a massive payday.
Long answer, he’s worth… We’ll discuss that below.
Kirk Cousins is only 27 years old and is the final year of his rookie contact. When you are that age and are coming off a good season as a quarterback, you are going to get paid a lot of money. Just take a look below at the contracts the league has handed out the last ten years to quarterbacks who are about the same age and have had success as starters.
Contracts of Quarterbacks still in the league within two years of their age 28 season:
| Player | Year | Age | Years | Money | Guaranteed | AAV |
| Cam Newton | 2015 | 26 | 5 | $103,800,000 | $60,000,000 | $20,760,000 |
| Russell Wilson* | 2015 | 27 | 4 | $87,000,000 | $61,547,000 | $21,750,000 |
| Ryan Tannehill | 2015 | 27 | 4 | $77,000,000 | $45,000,000 | $19,250,000 |
| Colin Kaepernick | 2014 | 27 | 6 | $114,000,000 | $61,000,000 | $19,000,000 |
| Andy Dalton | 2014 | 27 | 6 | $96,000,000 | $17,000,000 | $16,000,000 |
| Joe Flacco* | 2013 | 28 | 6 | $120,000,000 | $29,000,000 | $20,000,000 |
| Matt Ryan | 2013 | 28 | 5 | $103,750,000 | $42,000,000 | $20,750,000 |
| Eli Manning | 2010 | 29 | 6 | $97,500,000 | $35,000,000 | $16,250,000 |
| Philip Rivers | 2009 | 28 | 6 | $91,800,000 | $38,150,000 | $15,300,000 |
| Jay Cutler | 2009 | 26 | 5 | $50,370,000 | $20,000,000 | $10,074,000 |
| B. Roethlisberger | 2008 | 26 | 6 | $87,986,500 | $33,200,000 | $14,664,417 |
| Tony Romo | 2007 | 27 | 6 | $67,500,000 | $24,000,000 | $11,250,000 |
| Drew Brees | 2006 | 27 | 6 | $60,000,000 | $20,000,000 | $10,000,000 |
Just looking at this list and using the “eye test”, there aren’t many who you’d think that Kirk Cousins is good as. However, if you just put his stats on paper with these guys, you realize that Kirk Cousins is damn close.
| Player | Year | Comp | Total Yds | Total TD’s | INT | Rate |
| Kirk Cousins | 2015 | 69.7% | 4,202 | 31 | 13 | 97.2 |
| Cam Newton | 2014 | 58.5% | 3,666 | 23 | 12 | 82.1 |
| Russell Wilson | 2014 | 63.1% | 4,324 | 26 | 7 | 95.0 |
| Ryan Tannehill | 2014 | 66.4% | 4,356 | 28 | 12 | 92.8 |
| Colin Kaepernick | 2013 | 58.4% | 3,721 | 25 | 8 | 91.6 |
| Andy Dalton | 2013 | 61.9% | 4,476 | 35 | 20 | 88.8 |
| Joe Flacco | 2012 | 59.7% | 3,839 | 25 | 10 | 87.7 |
| Matt Ryan | 2012 | 68.6% | 4,860 | 33 | 14 | 99.1 |
| Eli Manning | 2009 | 62.3% | 4,086 | 27 | 14 | 93.1 |
| Philip Rivers | 2008 | 65.3% | 4,093 | 34 | 11 | 105.5 |
| Jay Cutler | 2008 | 62.3% | 4,726 | 27 | 18 | 86.0 |
| Ben Roethlisberger | 2007 | 65.3% | 3,154 | 34 | 11 | 104.1 |
| Tony Romo | 2006 | 65.3% | 2,903 | 19 | 13 | 95.1 |
| Drew Brees | 2005 | 64.6% | 3,625 | 25 | 15 | 89.2 |
| Cousins’ numbers are what projections for what his full season will be if he kept current per game averages (show in italics) | ||||||
Know knowing this historical data, how much do you think Kirk Cousins will receive? One factor to consider is the Washington Redskins have threatened to place the franchise tag on Cousins, removing all of his leverage in negotiation as he is scheduled to reach free agency. The franchise tag for Kirk Cousins would be between $19 and $20 million dollars in 2016, so it wouldn’t be cheap. If the Redskins weren’t 100 percent sold on Cousins as their quarterback of the future, they certainty can use that option and be on the hook for no money the year after.
If the Washington Redskins decide not to franchise Cousins, I project that Cousins will get an extension in the range of six years and $100 million dollars. That seems like a lot for a guy that the NFL was ready to give up on earlier in the season, but that is the historic going rate for quality quarterbacks as they are about to enter free agency at his age.
I’m sure he’ll like that.
