The Facts: Jay Gruden said he "totally" anticipates that Cousins will be his quarterback in 2017 and Redskins team president Bruce Allen said Cousins is "our quarterback", which would seem to make it highly unlikely that Cousins is going to be playing for anyone else next season. Cousins doesn't sound like he's banking on things working out that way just yet, however. Speaking from the Pro Bowl in Orlando on Wednesday, Cousins suggested that the decision about his future with the team is out of his hands. "I'd love to build something in Washington, we'll see if the decision-makers let that happen," Cousins said.

Diehards Line:As PFT suggested, the decision to use the franchise tag for a second straight season is up to the Redskins, obviously, but Cousins is hardly a bystander throughout this process. He can sign a long-term deal with the team, although past comments suggest he’s not going to be in the hometown discount business when it comes time to talk numbers. The next few weeks will be important if there’s going to be a deal that keeps the tag off the table and there should be interest in having such conversations if everyone’s being honest about their desire to keep working together.