Nice post. Just a couple quick thoughts...
On the human thing, we also forget that Kirk may have reasons beyond some imaginary beef with the front office or hating the organization to want to make a change. Could be location. Could be what his wife or family wants. Could be almost anything. It's not always 100% about the football or the team.
I personally want him here, but paying him $34 mil next year on another franchise tag is going to leave me wondering what kind of negative impact that has on the rest of the team. I worry that placing that much money in 1 piece of the puzzle is dangerous, but the idea of going back to Rex Grossman style QB play is also something I don't want.
If they decide to tag him again, my question is - to what end? Not a big fan of *renting* a franchise QB. But if they were to draft a young guy, and tag Kirk with the intent of either having the youngster learn by watching a pro, I'd be okay with that. If the next great Redskins QB can't be found in the 2018 draft (whether it's because we aren't in love with anyone, or don't expect that guy to be there when we pick), maybe giving Kirk one more year makes sense. Or if we really believe that with another year to work on a big LTD, we can make it happen, maybe it makes sense. But to rent him at an exorbitant price, just to have him for another year, in and of itself doesn't make sense.
Why should he for 1 SECOND have a shred of loyalty to this franchise? The same franchise that took him 3 rounds after choosing the 'franchise.' The same franchise that benched him before even giving him a chance to compete for a job. The same franchise that benched him a 2nd time for the 'franchise.' The same franchise that benched him for Colt McCoy. The same franchise that balked at his offer to sign long term. The same franchise that 'needs 5 more games' to evaluate a record setting, pro bowl QB.
I'll take issue with some of this. No NFL club rated Cousins a first rounder, a franchise QB prospect brother. Not one that I'm aware of. The idea that he's holding a grudge because the Skins took him much later just doesn't make sense to me. Every other NFL team passed on him for other guys, repeatedly, before the Skins drafted him. And the reason he should be (and I believe is genuinely) grateful to the Skins is that they ultimately made him the guy - and made him rich. I don't think that escapes his notice. There may be reasons he holds a grudge (assuming he does) - maybe he loved Scot McCloughan, maybe he hates Allen, maybe he loved the Shanahans and thought they were mistreated, maybe he's never been able to get over the love and adoration showered upon an inferior player in Griffin. On the '5 more games to evaluate him' aspect, I think that's a Twitter fiction - I doubt anyone high up in the Front Office said that - or if they did, meant it in the context it was plastered all over the internet with. I guess what I'm saying in an incredibly long-winded way is that I'm not 100% sure that Kirk does hold a grudge against this team. We're about to find out I suppose - but even if he signs a LTD with one of the many teams that will pursue him, not sure that represents proof he hated being in DC?
Ask yourself, would you show the same loyalty to an employer that you ask Kirk to give? If you were working a job who had treated you that way, and a different company decides that they're willing to pay you more to come work for them... can you honestly say you wouldn't take it?
Yeah - this is exactly right. We want to believe that, as fans, the players have the same passionate allegiance to the team. But they don't, and to be fair, how can we expect them to? I don't begrudge Kirk making whatever decision he feels is right for him and his family. This is his one and only crack at an NFL career and he's got to do what feels right for him, whether we as fans like it or not.
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Yeah, we made him a multi-millionaire. Just like every team in the NFL has made their starters multi-millionaires. It's called 'market value' Ax. I don't understand the vitriole. It's legitimate to ask if we can build a team around him depending on what the cost to sign him would be. But equating high salary with expectations of guaranteed success isn't logical. 53 men and a bunch of coaches determine success. And this year, it's been more like 100 men if you count all the scrubs we've had to start.
