Free Agency opened on Thursday. Despite the Cincinnati Bengals losing two-fifths of their starting offensive line, the Redskins were the biggest loser when the dust settled on the opening three days.
The Redskins did sign WR Terrell Pryor Sr. away from Cleveland, where he was a 1,000 yard target for the 1-15 Browns. Pryor’s deal was a one-year at $8 million. There is a $3 million signing bonus, and $2 million tied into incentives. So, for a guy looking to get $10-12 million per year in the open market, he signed with Washington for basically $3 million in base salary. The thought process is that if Pryor has a repeat of last season with a better quarterback situation, he can command his $10-12 million this time next year. Early returns are that Pryor will get plenty of targets in the Washington offensive scheme.
Just like in Cleveland, he will be the primary target, because he’s the only feasible target Washington has right now. The Redskins lost both Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson since Thursday. Garcon signed a five-year $47 million contract with the San Francisco 49ers, whose quarterback is Brian Hoyer. Jackson joined up with Jameis Winston in Tampa Bay, to the tune of 3 years, $33.5 million. “Crab Legs” now has the high-profile target he needs to get the Buccaneers to the playoffs next season.
One of the factors likely driving Pryor away from resigning long-term with Cleveland is their never ending QB carousel. The Browns traded for Brock Osweiler, and have about 235 picks over the next two seasons in the draft. So how does he leave that mess to join up with the thought of having Kirk Cousins as his quarterback, considering Cousins likely will be playing with Garcon come Week 1 this season?
Cousins--in case you missed it--signed the franchise tag with Washington on Friday. The one-year $23.8 million tag Cousins signed means Washington has exclusive rights to do whatever they want with his contract in 2017. It made Cousins the first QB in history to sign an exclusive franchise tag in consecutive years. With the rumor of New England Patriots backup QB Jimmy Garoppolo being dealt to Cleveland gaining more steam daily, the thought is Cousins will likely be dealt to San Francisco, and the Redskins would end up taking possession of the second overall pick in next month’s draft when the dust settles. The 49ers were rumored to be targeting Mitchell Trebisky (QB - North Carolina) at #2, but this is why the first week of free agency is so much fun...it completely messes up every mock draft out there.
Cousins said he would not sign a long-term extension to stay with the Redskins while Bruce Allen is still team president. Washington did the next best thing, and fired General Manager Scot McCloughan on Friday. McCloughan was open to trading Cousins, and often clashed with Allen and Head Coach Jay Gruden.
This is what happens when Dan Snyder is your majority owner. Can someone explain how the Redskins are valued by Forbes Magazine at $2.85 billion, but Snyder’s net worth is only $2.2 billion? The Redskins worth is the eighth highest for a sports franchise in the world (third in the NFL to Dallas and New England). Not bad for a franchise constantly at the forefront of likeness controversy, and has not won a championship in a quarter century.
I guess charging your fans to tailgate in your parking lot is going a long way to help pay your quarterback, hey Dan?
-JC24