As expected, quarterback Kirk Cousins and Washington failed to reach a long-term deal Monday, opening the door for Cousins to become a free agent next season.
That means the 49ers – in the market for a franchise quarterback and with plenty of salary-cap space to play with in 2018 – could be a leading candidate for his services.
Certainly, he gives the 49ers a strong option next season.
But as Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com noted Tuesday, Cousins is just one of many options the 49ers will have next season at quarterback.
Among those options:
First, Patriots backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who is expected to hit free agency in 2018.
Second, the draft. The Niners could pluck a top-echelon passer such as Wyoming’s Josh Allen or USC’s Sam Darnold, who rank at the top of the class going into next season.
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Third, it could turn out the 49ers believe in Hoyer or third-round pick C.J. Beathard. If that’s the case, the team could spend big on other areas of the roster that need strengthening around Hoyer or Beathard – which in turn might make them more effective.
As Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee wrote Monday night, if Hoyer plays well in 2017, he actually could be a good solution for 2018 and beyond.
“If he has a solid season in San Francisco, some will wonder why the 49ers should spend big on Cousins, who is 19-22-1 as an NFL starter, when they have an adequate and far-cheaper option in Hoyer (as well as a player similar to Cousins in rookie C.J. Beathard) already in the organization,” wrote Barrows.
But, the Cousins-to-49ers projections will no doubt remain hot all the way through 2017, even though San Francisco will have other options.
Wrote Wagoner: “On paper, Cousins to the 49ers still looks like a strong possibility, one that became more realistic in light of Monday’s news. But it’s still not a sure thing. The 49ers spent much of this offseason positioning themselves to do what’s necessary to get a franchise quarterback in 2018. What happens over the next seven-or-so months will go a long way toward determining whether that quarterback is Cousins or somebody else.”
