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Front and center on NFL.com making me throw up in my mouth a little....
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Kyle Shanahan-Kirk Cousins package could entice many teams
The regular season is just nine short days from ending. At that point, 12 teams will begin to prepare for their playoff experience, while the remaining 20 squads will lick their wounds and make plans for 2013.
But the potential head coaches who will garner the most attention as viable hires will be the ones who best address the quarterback issue in the interview. Some will have plans on paper -- quarterbacks that interest them, etc. Others, like Washington Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan and Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator/interim head coach Bruce Arians, will have fresh tape of a rookie signal-caller excelling in their system -- fine evidence to bolster their case as a qualified candidate. And Shanahan will have an additional ace up his sleeve: Kirk Cousins.
Whenever a coach can take two rookie quarterbacks and produce positive results, he must be given strong consideration. Kyle Shanahan's work with Robert Griffin III has been great, but we all know RG3 has unique talent. Some of the concepts and plays with RG3 behind center are more talent plays than the real work of Shanahan. Shanahan certainly deserves credit for developing an offense that highlights RG3's skill set, but this only goes so far. However, his work with Cousins in last week's crucial win over the Cleveland Browns has made everyone in the league stand up and notice -- especially those teams in dire need of a quarterback and a coach.
Shanahan's work this year has been really impressive overall. In the past, many thought the Redskins' offense was solely designed by Kyle's father, Mike, who is still one of the best offensive minds in football. But this year's Washington offense is the work of Kyle. Now, understand the concepts and principles of the offense are still from dad, but the game plans and the play calling are all Kyle.
Any team that hires Shanahan as its next coach might be able to pry away Cousins for a modest price -- considering he was just a fourth-round pick in last April's draft -- addressing two huge problems at once. Every father wants his son to succeed. Thus, if Kyle does land a head-coaching job, he would have a great in with his dad and the 'Skins in terms of making a trade for Cousins -- as long as it is an AFC team that hires Kyle. I strongly doubt that Kyle would ever take a job in the NFC East to compete against his father. (Imagine how awkward the holidays would be in the Shanahan home ...) But going to an AFC team makes sense, and makes the trade for Cousins seem doable.
Now, honestly, I have no idea if Shanahan would actually want to bring Cousins along as his next quarterback if he gets a head job. He could decide to draft his own quarterback, as one of his many strengths is his ability to develop the position. Yes, I know it didn't work out with Rex Grossman and John Beck in Washington, but he sure did a fine job with Matt Schaub in Houston and this year's work speaks for itself.
One week from next Monday, the NFL will begin a period of great change. There are at least six head-coaching jobs that could come open on that day alone. And the main reason for most of those gigs becoming available will be the lack of quality play at quarterback on each franchise. If the Redskins make the playoffs, the spotlight will be even brighter on Kyle Shanahan, and perhaps, Kirk Cousins.
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