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The Washington Redskins have placed the franchise tag on quarterback Kirk Cousins. Sound familiar? If so, that’s because the Redskins have placed the franchise tag on Cousins for the second year in a row. However, this year, the tag is exclusive.
Tag! I'm it!
— Kirk Cousins (@KirkCousins8) February 28, 2017
Cousins initially earned a consistent starting job with the Redskins thanks to Robert Griffin III’s continuous injuries. Former Redskin Joe Theismann raised some questions regarding how much the Redskins should spend on Cousins, considering there are other aspects of their team he feels could use upgrading.
What Does This Mean?
In the NFL, a franchise tag allows a team to keep a potential free agent by providing them with a guaranteed contract. These contracts are often high-figure numbers. Only one franchise tag per team is given each year. In the Redskins and Cousins’ case, he was given an exclusive franchise tag. An exclusive franchise tag does not allow a player to negotiate with any other teams.
Back to Back
This is the second season in a row that Cousins has received the franchise tag. In 2016, the Redskins placed a franchise tag on him as well. This marks the first time in NFL history that a quarterback has received franchise tags in consecutive seasons. Drew Brees and Peyton Manning are the only other quarterbacks to receive the tag more than once.
