As the franchise tag deadline passed, Kirk Cousins and the Redskins did not come to terms on a new deal. In fact, Washington's offer hadn't changed in five months.
The Redskins extended a contract to Cousins at the NFL Scouting Combine that included $16 million per year and $24 million in guarantees, NFL Media's Mike Garafolo reported Friday. The Redskins and Cousins have not budged since that deal was offered.
If he had accepted the deal, Cousins would have ranked 21st in average annual salary among quarterbacks, tied with Bengals signal-caller Andy Dalton. As it stands, Cousins will make $20 million under the franchise tag in 2016, $4 million more than the Redskins' multi-year offer.
In the upcoming months, Cousins has an opportunity now to play up to his 2015 level and earn an even greater yearly average during next year's free agency period.
Here's a roundup of the deals that did and didn't get done on Franchise Tag Friday:
» Von Miller got paid. Now the wealthiest defensive player in the league, the Broncos pass rusher agreed to a six-year contract with the Broncos on Friday. NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport added the deal is worth $114.5 million and it includes $70 million in guarantees by March 2018, surpassing the $59.955 million guaranteed that Dolphins defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh received in March 2015. Rapoport also reported $42 million of the deal is fully guaranteed, including a $23 million signing bonus, according to a source who has seen the deal.
» Eric Berry will play out this season without a new long-term deal. The Chiefs and their Pro Bowl safety failed to reach an agreement ahead of Friday's 4 p.m. ET deadline. NFL Media's Rand Getlin previously reported the sides were "miles apart," leaving Berry with just one option: playing out the year under the $10.8 million franchise tag before hitting the open market next offseason.
Garafolo reported that the Chiefs wanted Berry to pay for a disability insurance policy that would have named the team as a beneficiary. The team later pulled the disability clause. Getlin reported that the $20 million insurance policy included a premium that could rise up to $2 million.
» Half an hour after the deadline passed, the Jets announced that they had reached an agreement with defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson. He agreed to a five-year contract worth at least $85 million with $54 million in guarantees over three years and $37 million fully guaranteed through the second year, Rapoport reported, per a source. The versatile defensive standout is coming off his best season to date, but will be returning from a broken leg in 2016. Gang Green has an embarrassment of riches at defensive line with Sheldon Richardson and Making the Leap candidate Leonard Williams also in the trenches.
» Justin Tucker and the Ravens agreed to a four-year contract for $16.8 million with 10.8 million guaranteed including a $6 million signing bonus. The deal comes one day after Tucker's agent, Rob Roche, made it clear the kicker would not play for the Ravens in 2017 without a long-term deal. The strong-armed negotiating tactic worked. Tucker was set to make $4.57 million on the one-year tag, but will now earn an average of $4.2 million for the next four years.
» No deal between Trumaine Johnson and the Los Angeles Rams. Sides remained far apart on their positions of Johnson's worth up until the deadline. The corner will make $13.9 million on the tag. One prevailing thought when the Rams tagged Johnson instead of Janoris Jenkins was that it might be easier to get a deal done with Johnson. With a big jump to tag Johnson in back-to-back years, the Rams risk losing two starting corners in two years (Jenkins signed in New York this offseason).
» With Alshon Jeffery's injury history, the Bears were skittish at giving the dynamite receiver a lot of guaranteed money. NFL Media's Mike Garafolo previously reported that the Bears want Jeffery at a deal closer to the $11 million per year contracts Allen Hurns and Keenan Allen signed than the $14.6 million franchise tag number. As the Bears' best player, Jeffery had little incentive to cave.
