The Washington Redskins have turned their season over to Kirk Cousins. The quarterback's former coach believes this to be a wise decision.
Mike Shanahan, who coached the Redskins from 2010 to 2013, shared an extremely optimistic opinion on Cousins in a phone conversation with NFL Media's Dan Hellie on Monday.
"Kirk Cousins is a franchise quarterback, he will be a top-10 quarterback in this league no doubt about it," Shanahan said.
Shanahan -- who was banging this drum well before Monday's news -- was the head of the braintrust that selected Cousins in the fourth round of the 2012 draft. Of course, it was also under Shanahan that the Redskins pulled the trigger on a massive trade to land Robert Griffin III with the second pick in the same draft.
And yes, this is the same Mike Shanahan who once stated he would stake his reputation on the relative merits of John Beck and Rex Grossman.
Put it all together and Shanahan might not be the most trusted voice in passers right now. If you don't want to take his word for it, how about his son? Kyle Shanahan, the former Redskins offensive coordinator who now holds the same post for the Falcons, said in June that Cousins has a chance "to be a great quarterback one day."
Here's the good thing for all of us: In a few weeks, we'll actually get to find out.
