WASHINGTON — Former NFL agent and salary cap expert for CBS Sports Joel Corry joined Grant and Danny on 106.7 The Fan Tuesday to discuss what it will cost the Redskins to retain quarterback Kirk Cousins, and the answer might not comfort fans.

Host Grant Paulsen asked Corry how much he thinks Cousins will command in best and worst-case scenarios.

“There’s not a whole lot he can do at this point to drastically diminish his value,” Corry said. “Maybe if he lays two eggs, you think ‘I don’t need to franchise him,’ and you’re not even going to put that in the equation anymore. And you’re gonna be thinking more along that two-year bridge deal if you can get it, which would be in the Nick Foles range, which is basically $25 million over two [years] with upside that, if he earned it, all it would be close to $40 [million] over two. That’s the worst-case scenario.”

On the other hand, Corry says, there’s a good chance those figures will be significantly higher.

“If he plays lights out [to end the season], the agent’s going to be thinking ‘you need to pay him as a top-tier quarterback, even though it’s only been one year.’ If not, you’re talking the high end of the second tier, and you’ve got to think that Ryan Tannehill would be the floor,” Corry said. “That’s $77 [million] over four [years]. But you want it structured better than his, because Tannehill has $21.5 million fully guaranteed at signing, $45 million [guaranteed] overall; you’re going to want more fully guaranteed than that at signing. But that would be what the agent would call the floor.”

Tannehill, drafted eighth overall in 2012, was given a four-year extension by the Miami Dolphins before the 2015 season that could see him earn as much as nearly $20 million per year.

The deal came after Tannehill threw for 4,045 yards, 27 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and a 92.8 passer rating while leading the Dolphins to an 8-8 record. He also completed 66.4 percent of his passes and averaged 6.9 yards per attempt. What’s more, he improved on his numbers from the previous year in both 2013 and 2014, leading the Dolphins to believe he would continue to trend upward. He’s also never missed a game in his pro career, which is a considerable perk for Miami.

Tannehill’s deal only guarantees him much of the money for injury, and if Miami ends up regretting the deal, it can move on from Tannehill with relative ease.

For comparison’s sake, Cousins has thrown for 3,625 yards, 22 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a 97.2 passer rating this season, and he’s completed 69.7 percent of his passes for an average of 7.5 yards per attempt. The Redskins are 7-7. Cousins has also played better as the season has progressed.

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Those numbers are remarkably similar to what Tannehill put up in 2014, and he did that in his third year as the full-time starter with the Dolphins. Cousins is putting his numbers — which are slightly better in most areas — up in his first year as the full-time starter with the Redskins. On one hand, it could signify Cousins still has plenty of room to grow; Tannehill’s numbers as a first-year starter were nowhere near as impressive as his third-year numbers. On the other hand, Cousins could simply be having a strong season that ultimately proves to be the exception, not the standard.

Tannehill, for what it’s worth, has a lower completion percentage and passer rating than he finished with last year, and the Dolphins are 5-9. His touchdowns, interceptions and yards are on pace to nearly match his 2014 numbers.

Paulsen then asked Corry what he expects Cousins to get, to which Corry responded by asking Paulsen if he considers Cousins to be an average NFL quarterback; Paulsen responded in the negative, calling Cousins above average. Corry says the standard deal for an average quarterback on a veteran deal — Cousins would fit this description — is about $42 million in guaranteed money, $27 million of which is fully guaranteed at signing, and $17.3 million per year for four years. So Cousins, in theory, should get more than that in a few months when he hits free agency.

“You’re not going to get him for anything less than that if you think Kirk Cousins is an above-average quarterback,” he said.

“That, to me, is a little steeper than I’d be willing to go,” Paulsen responded. He then asked if a five-year deal worth $85 million with $42 million guaranteed, in which the team can get out of the deal after three years, is a conceivable agreement for Cousins.

“Possibly,” Corry said. “The agent’s going to want to go a year shorter, just because he thinks [Cousins] is an ascending player, hasn’t reached his potential, and is going to want him to hit the market a year earlier so that he can get a bite of the apple when he’s still in his prime.”

Ultimately, Corry thinks the most likely scenario is the Redskins place the franchise tag on Cousins. If that happens, Cousins will make a considerable one-year salary — north of $20 million — but have to prove he can repeat this season’s success. Washington will then be able to determine Cousins is either the starter for the future or simply a one-year fluke, in the vein of Matt Cassel for the New England Patriots in 2008.

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The Redskins would surely love to have Cousins back, but general manager Scot McCloughan is also wary of committing to a huge contract that will play a major role in determining his own success as the Redskins’ GM.

“What they’ll do is they’ll live with the franchise tag for a year and delay the decision and see if he can repeat what he’s doing this year or improve upon it, and go from there if push comes to shove,” Corry said. “And they’ll get the cap room, or most of it, from cutting RGIII. … And frankly, Cousins will sign the franchise tag immediately.”

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