Kirk Cousins (8) will command a new contract this offseason, and for the first time since 2011, Washington will have to pay the going rate for a veteran quarterback and then surround him with talent. (Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post)

The season-long question about whether the Washington Redskins felt they had a franchise quarterback on the roster was answered during the second half of the campaign. The Redskins have seen enough from 27-year-old Kirk Cousins in his first full season as a starter to make him the team’s top priority this offseason, when he can become an unrestricted free agent.

The Redskins will aim to build their team around Cousins and, as a result, build their salary cap strategy around his contract. Washington has avoided shelling out big bucks on a quarterback because of the economical rookie contracts of Cousins and Robert Griffin III the past four seasons, but it will have to soon deal with the hefty cost to retain Cousins. The ramifications will impact the franchise’s decision-making, both in the short and long term, on how it juggles the cap while improving the roster.

Cap analysts currently expect the NFL base salary cap to be around $153.4 million next season, which would give the Redskins just over $12.7 million in cap space — the sixth-lowest figure in the NFL. Washington will receive some relief in the coming weeks once it inevitably releases Griffin, who has an unguaranteed base salary of $16.1 million next season, in the final year of his rookie deal. The transaction would increase the team’s cap space to a tick under $29 million.

That would place the Redskins in the middle of the pack with their cap figure before reaching a deal with Cousins. Still, it would be beneficial for the team to avoid slapping Cousins with the franchise tag and instead strike a multiyear deal this offseason. He is coming off a season in which he broke the franchise’s single-season passing yards mark (4,166), finished fifth in passer rating (101.6), recorded 34 total touchdowns and led the Redskins to their first NFC East division title since the 2012 season.

[An in-depth review of Kirk Cousins’s development]

1 of 17 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad × Redskins’ Kirk Cousins breaks out View Photos During the 2015 season, behind a meticulous work ethic, Washington’s quarterback progressed from backup to starter to star. Caption During the 2015 season, behind a meticulous work ethic, Washington’s quarterback progressed from backup to starter to star. At the end of the 2014 season, against Dallas at FedEx Field, Kirk Cousins warms up. On this day, he is the Redskins' No. 3 quarterback. Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post Buy Photo Wait 1 second to continue.

“[Cousins] has all the leverage,” said Joel Corry, a former agent who is now an NFL salary cap analyst for National Football Post and CBS Sports. “His agent, Mike McCartney, [is a] sharp guy that five years ago made Haloti Ngata the highest-paid interior defensive lineman on a veteran contract. He got a great deal for [running back] Arian Foster, who was going to be a restricted free agent tender. This is not going to be one of those [team-friendly] Andy Dalton, Colin Kaepernick-type structures.”

The franchise tag window opens on Feb. 22 and lasts two weeks. If progress isn’t made on a long-term deal before March 7, the Redskins would be forced to tag Cousins to avoid allowing him to explore the open market in free agency. Under the franchise tag, Cousins would receive a salary between $19 million and 20 million next season — leaving the Redskins with just under $9 million in free agency. They would have to work around Cousins’s high cap hit by terminating or restructuring other contracts.

Washington could gain $6.25 million in cap space if defensive end Jason Hatcher decides to retire, and it could look to extend or release wide receivers Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson as they enter the final year of their contracts. Garcon has a $10.2 million cap hit with a $7.6 million base salary, while Jackson has a $9.25 million cap hit and a $3.75 million base salary.

The Redskins could alleviate their cap situation by tinkering with left tackle Trent Williams’s five-year deal worth $68 million that he signed in August by converting some of his base salary next year, $6.75 million, into his signing bonus or push some of the money out into future years to reduce Williams’s cap hit.

“They are in a situation now where, for the past four seasons, they haven’t had a lot of money dedicated to the quarterback position,” said Jimmy Halsell, former Redskins cap analyst and NFL agent. “Now they are going to have to dedicate a lot of money to the quarterback position, so you have to manage your roster, and particularly the salary cap numbers of your roster, around the quarterback position more carefully.”

The cap would be much easier to handle this year and down the road if both sides agree to an extension, but it won’t be cheap. Corry said Cousins, in the worst-case scenario, would receive an annual salary comparable to the second tier of NFL quarterbacks in the $17 million to $20 million range. It would depend on multiple variables, including the signing bonus and base salary, but the Redskins could possibly structure Cousins’s cap hit around $8 million to $13 million in 2016. Once Griffin comes off the books, that would leave the Redskins with a minimum of $16 million in cap space before they touch another contract on the roster.

“The best thing for them, if they’re comfortable with what [Cousins] is or what they expect him to do, is the long-term deal,” Corry said. “Kirk Cousins isn’t going to come cheap, and the money that he gets might shock some people.”

1 of 16 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad × What Robert Griffin III has been doing on the sidelines View Photos Ever since Redskins head coach told reporters “It’s Kirk’s team,” Robert Griffin III has been relegated to the sidelines. Here’s a look at what Robert Griffin has been doing since then. Caption Ever since Redskins head coach told reporters “It’s Kirk’s team,” Robert Griffin III has been relegated to the sidelines. Here’s a look at what Robert Griffin has been doing since then. Sept. 20, 2015 Before the games, Griffin would often greet players as they were stretching--going down each line from player to player, giving hugs and fistbumps. Here, he greets outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan before the game against the St. Louis Rams in Landover. Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post Buy Photo Wait 1 second to continue.

[Redskins Mailbag: Was the 2015 success real or fool’s gold?]

This will put a premium on finding cheap talent to balance the books. The Green Bay Packers extended quarterback Aaron Rodgers to a five-year deal worth $110 million in 2013 and have remained competitive by acquiring skilled players through the draft and signing low-risk undrafted free agents. It’s possible the Redskins could follow that model under General Manager Scot McCloughan, who brought in an impressive draft class in his first season with Washington. He was also able to acquire talent through free agency, before and during the season, to propel the Redskins into the playoffs.

“You’ve got McCloughan’s strength in being able to be a great talent evaluator that you have to continue to hit on guys like the Kyshoen Jarrett, Quinton Dunbar and Spencer Longs of the world,” Halsell said. “You have to continue to just build through the draft because you’ve got to offset this franchise quarterback contract that you’re most likely going to execute with Kirk Cousins.”

Regardless of which path Washington takes, the organization feels it finally has its quarterback situation resolved. The job from there this offseason is far from over.

Redskins note: Williams will not participate in the Pro Bowl because of an injury. He was the Redskins’ lone representative in the game, which will take place on Jan. 31 in Hawaii.