Redskins QB Kirk Cousins Has NOT Requested A Trade

Backup Quarterback Kirk Cousins hasn’t requested a trade from the Washington Redskins, but would however, welcome an opportunity to go elsewhere and start in the NFL if the opportunity arose, a person with knowledge of the situation said.

That stance held by Cousins is the same that he has held since the Redskins selected him in the fourth round of the 2012 draft — the same year that they took Robert Griffin III second overall.

ESPN reported Sunday morning that Cousins had informed the Redskins that he was open to being traded. But a person with knowledge of the situation said that the quarterback has not made any demands for a trade. At the same time, Cousins has the goal of starting in the NFL, and he knows that barring injury to Griffin, that goal isn’t possible with the Redskins. And so, if a trade did present itself, Cousins would embrace that situation.

The person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that Cousins isn’t so desperate to be traded that he would want to be in a bad situation just so he could start. Instead, he would likely rather wait another two years and then go elsewhere as a free agent.

Cousins has conveyed his stance to Redskins officials on more than one occasion, and had a similar conversation with general manager Bruce Allen at the end of the 2013 season. Cousins has discussed with the media his eagerness to prepare and position himself to excel in any opportunity to showcase his skills to future teams. But at the same time, he has been the good soldier and has prepared as if he is the starter, while also supporting Griffin and avoiding expressing any discontent with his situation as a backup.

Cousins this season got the chance to display his skills for future teams when he started the final three games of the year after then-coach Mike Shanahan benched Griffin partly because he wanted to protect him from further injury.

In three games as a starter this season, Cousins completed 53 percent of his passes for 747 yards, four touchdowns and five interceptions while also losing two fumbles.
Cousins said after the season finale against the Giants that he felt like in those three games, he believed he had shown his capabilities and indicated that he would welcome the chance to start for a future team, if that opportunity presented itself.

“I’ve shown what I’m capable of,” he said. “I think there’s more there. It obviously would help if I was with a team for a long time and have a chance to really build up a team as their leader, as their quarterback. But we’ll see. Other teams can look at the film and evaluate it how they want.”

the washington post