When a team makes a player the highest paid player at his position for the year there are going to be high expectations.\u00a0 When that team is the Washington Redskins and that player is Kirk Cousins we had better like that.\u00a0 More importantly, Scot McCloughan had better like that or we’ll be back on the quarterback search trail.\u00a0 But what does Cousins have to do for Scot McCloughan to like that?\u00a0 There were things Cousins did exceptionally well last season.\u00a0 But when you’re paying a player like a top five player at his position, even if it’s on the franchise tag, he needs to perform as such.\u00a0 Did Cousins?\u00a0 Let’s take a look.<\/p>\n
The Good:<\/p>\n
7th in Completions but outside top ten in attempts.
\n7th in Passing Yards Per Attempt.
\n5th in Passer Rating.
\nOutside the top ten in Interceptions.
\n8th in Adjusted Yards Per Pass Attempt.
\n7th in Net Yards Per Pass Attempt.
\n8th in Adjusted Net Yards Per Pass Attempt.
\n10th in Pass Completions Per Game.
\n1st in Pass Completion Percentage.
\n7th in Sack Percentage.
\n8th in Game-Winning Drives.
\n10th in Comebacks.
\n2nd in Fumbles Recovered.<\/p>\n
The Bad:<\/p>\n
7th in Completions but 10th in passing yards.
\nOutside the top ten in Passing Attempts Per Game.
\nOutside the top ten in Interception Percentage.
\nOutside the top ten in Passing Touchdown Percentage.<\/p>\n
The Ugly:<\/p>\n
Outside the top ten in Passing Touchdowns.
\nOutside the top ten in Passing Yards Per Game.
\nOutside the top ten in Yards Per Completion.
\n8th in Fumbles.
\nOutside the top ten in Total Offense.<\/p>\n
What Cousins has to do to justify the Franchise Tag and command a long-term contract:<\/p>\n
Cousins threw 29 touchdowns last season. The top five quarterbacks threw an average of 35 touchdowns.
\nCousins’ touchdown percentage was 5.3%. The top five average was 6.5%.
\nCousins’ yards per attempt was 7.7. The top five average is 8.4.
\nCousins’ adjusted yards per attempt is 7.8. The top five average is 8.6.
\nCousins’ yards per completion average is 11. The top five average is 13.
\nCousins’ yards per game is 260.4. The top five average is 300.
\nCousins’ net yards per attempt is 6.99. The top five average is 7.7.
\nCousins’ adjusted net yards per attempt is 7.14. The top five average is 7.75.
\nCousins’ sack percentage is 4.6. The top five average is 3.0.<\/p>\n
One can gather from the above much improvement is expected of Kirk Cousins this season.\u00a0 Not only should he have better passing protection thanks to the replacement of Josh (What’s the snap count, again?) LeRibeus but he also has an additional receiving weapon in 2016 1st round draft selection Josh Doctson and another red zone target in off-season acquisition Vernon Davis.\u00a0 One has to assume the rushing attack will be better this season. (How could it possibly be worse?)<\/p>\n
Cousins will be on a long leash this season because when you’re paying a player over $1.0MM per game you’re not paying him to sit on the bench.\u00a0 The only way he’s not playing is if he is injured.\u00a0 That could be good for Cousins or it could be disastrous.\u00a0 If he’s playing up to expectations expect him to get paid like a top five quarterback.\u00a0 Before complaining about the potential cost involved take a moment to remember the quarterback history of the team over the course of the last twenty-five seasons.\u00a0 If he’s not playing up to the level expected it’s going to be a long and painful season for him, for Scot McCloughan, who will have to begin scouting quarterbacks mid-season, for Jay Gruden whose job is balancing on Cousins’ performance, and for the fans.<\/p>\n
The real question is: If Cousins performs marginally well, as in top ten but not top five, what does the team do?\u00a0 They almost certainly won’t tag Cousins again.\u00a0 That gets very expensive.\u00a0 If the Skins offer him top ten money but not top five money will he take it?\u00a0 Or will he take his chances on the open market?\u00a0 Is he really a team player?\u00a0 If he is, I like that.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"