With the second overall pick in this year’s draft, it’s possible the San Francisco 49ers could go after a quarterback such as Clemson’s Deshaun Watson or North Carolina’s Mitch Trubisky. Those are the two highest-rated passers – at least at this early stage – expected to be taken.
But the Niners could also go a different direction, with so many holes to fill on their roster. They could sign a veteran free-agent quarterback and use their available picks at the top of the draft to build around him. Among the quarterbacks expected to be available are Mike Glennon of the Bucs, Geno Smith of the Jets, Brian Hoyer of the Bears and Mark Sanchez of the Cowboys. Or, perhaps, Jay Cutler of the Bears, Robert Griffin III of the Browns or Nick Foles of the Chiefs, should they be released.
But the name that keeps getting a lot of attention in connection with the 49ers is Washington’s current starter, Kirk Cousins.
Cousins was retained by his team last year when it put the franchise tag on him, so some NFL watchers are wondering if the team will do that again, when tagging him would likely mean paying him as much as $24 million in 2017 – a hefty price for anyone not named Tom Brady.
Plus, if Washington were to let him walk, it would be in the market for a starter, with ex-49ers backup Colt McCoy listed as No. 2 on the team’s depth chart right now.
Yet, several analysts around the NFL are speculating that Cousins could be headed for San Francisco because the team’s next head coach is expected to by Kyle Shanahan, Cousins’ former offensive coordinator and fan.
Wrote the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport: “Don’t be surprised if the 49ers make a run at Kirk Cousins” if he’s not given the franchise tag. Added Conor Orr of NFL.com: “Cousins knows Shanahan’s system and, depending on what happens to Tony Romo, would be the best quarterback prospect to hit the open market since Peyton Manning became a free agent in 2012.”
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But, notes Orr, if Washington puts the tag on Cousins again, the Niners could still be in play by packaging picks to Washington in exchange for Cousins.
That, however, would be dicey for a rebuilding San Francisco team, which would then lose out on valuable choices to stock the roster while also spending exorbitantly on Cousins. The 49ers do have salary-cap flexibility, though, that wouldn’t make such a move impossible.
Cousins is a fine QB with a 46-41 record as a starter. He threw for 4,917 yards and 25 touchdowns this past season – against just 12 interceptions – and had a QB rating of 97.2.
The Washington Post reported Monday that Cousins attended the Falcons-Packers NFC Championship Game Sunday and was excited by the offensive capabilities and quarterbacks (Matt Ryan and Aaron Rodgers) of both teams. Wrote Cousins on Instagram: “Watching two of the best in the world do what they do & taking notes to make it to this game next year – score a lot of points!”
It sounds as if Cousins would be happy to play for a Shanahan-themed offense in the Bay Area in 2017.
