The Facts: If you're waiting to hear about a long-term deal for Cousins, it sounds like it is going to be a while. Cousins got the franchise tag before free agency opened this season, setting him up to make $19.9 million for the 2016 season after leading the Redskins to an NFC East title in his first full season as a starter. Both sides have said the expected things about a desire to extend the working relationship beyond next season, but GM Scot McCloughan sounds more than willing to wait before diving into an extension. In an interview with Jason Cole of Bleacher Report, McCloughan said that he's told Cousins that "we're going to take care of you" if he takes care of the organization and that he's comfortable paying the inflated price tag that would come with handling things that way because of how important it is to have the right quarterback leading the team.

Diehards Line: “Let me overpay him if he’s good,” McCloughan said. “If you have a productive guy, it helps everything, and it proves out. ..." As PFT's Josh Alper suggests, there’s a chance Cousins can’t repeat last year’s success and the Redskins find themselves back among the teams searching for “that quarterback.” It’s not a place that McCloughan wants to be, obviously, but you’d rather be there without a commitment to Cousins should things break the wrong way in Washington this season.