Kirk Cousins walked a tightrope over his final three years as the quarterback in Washington.
Following the 2015 and 2016 seasons, he engaged in an annual offseason courtship producing only a pair of one-year franchise tags instead of the NFL's true love language — multiyear guaranteed money. Washington's front office wasn't intent on keeping him long term, despite a 2015 NFC East title in his first year as starter.
After the 2017 season, the Redskins decided against another franchise tag and Cousins became a free agent, signing a fully guaranteed three-year, $84 million deal with the Vikings.