Kirk Cousins future has come under speculation the last few weeks. With a new coaching regime in Washington, many wondered what the Redskins' backup would do. New head coach Jay Gruden stressed that Robert Griffin III was the team's starter and there would be no quarterback competition moving forward. So, where does that leave Cousins?
The Redskins backup quarterback confirmed to ESPN.com that he has requested a trade from Washington in hopes of getting a starting spot somewhere else. Cousins has seen plenty of starting time filling in for injured Griffin. He started the final three games of Washington's 2013 season after Griffin was benched because of nagging injuries. Now he believes that move should be made permanent.
"Nothing changes from the day I was drafted," said Cousins on Sirius XM radio. "There's no chance to compete, so if I can't get it in D.C., I'd be open to having that chance somewhere else. I just wanted to make sure my opinion was known to my agent and to the Redskins. I wanted to be proactive. My desire was to communicate my willingness to be traded and my desire to compete. I'd love the opportunity to be a starting quarterback. I'm not entitled to that, but just the chance to compete to know if I can play at a high level."
Cousins has started four games in his two years as a pro, garnering a 1-3 record in the process. In eight games overall, he has thrown eight touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He tossed six touchdowns in the four games as a starter. While he has certainly not blown anyone away with his talent on the field as a starter, he is certainly a better option over some of the pending free agents.
"I've wanted the same thing all along," Cousins said. "I was open to a trade from Day 1. I'm open to a trade now. After starting four games and having two years under my belt and two offseasons and having that experience, I do think I'm more prepared than I was coming out of the draft or after my first year."
So where could Cousins go? The Cleveland Browns are the obvious first options since the team did hire away Washington's offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan who is very familiar with what Cousins can bring to the table. The Minnesota Vikings could be interested in acquiring Cousins. The team is considering trading away Christian Ponder and will be in need of a starter. The Oakland Raiders could also be in play if they decide to part with Terrelle Pryor.
The Redskins are not going to let Cousins go for nothing. The quarterback is very valuable considering Griffin's injury history. Cousins says he will not lose sleep over a potential trade, but would certainly love one.
