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It's fitting to start with the proverbial elephant in the room; Cousins' future. No other issue will dominate McCloughan's agenda as much and no other decision will have as big an impact on the rest of Washington's offseason plans.

From a playing perspective, the decision is an easy one, so easy it should already be made. The Redskins need to bring Cousins back.

No pro team credibly competes to play regular playoff football without a competent quarterback, not in the league's modern era. It means any QB who can tie his cleats without falling and tasting the dirt becomes worth his weight in gold.

Cousins has proved during the last two seasons he belongs in the competent quarterback category. He's made Pro Bowl trips, set franchise records and made the offense—specifically its explosive passing attack—the strength of the team.

It's also true there are still faults with his game, namely a tendency to force throws into coverage when a bit of game management is called for. However, Cousins is the best quarterback Washington has and is likely to have in the near future. A lack of quality free agents or rookie prospects at the position ensures that.

When the former Redskins general manager, NFL Network analyst Charley Casserly (h/t Chase Goodbread of the league's official site) says no passer in this class is as good as New England Patriots backup Jimmy Garoppolo, a team fortunate to already have a credible quarterback should hurry up and pay him.

Of course, paying Cousins may not be as simple as it sounds. Team president Bruce Allen wants to keep the No. 8 for the long haul, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post. However, a second franchise tag also remains a viable option, per ESPN's John Keim.

As Keim noted, though, using the same non-exclusive tag the Redskins placed on Cousins last year could be risky in an offseason where 2012's fourth-round pick may have a few suitors: "But if the Redskins tag him this time, there could be a suitor for Cousins: San Francisco. New 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan was on the Redskins' staff for Cousins' first two seasons and has remained a big fan. Multiple people who know Shanahan well think he will be tempted."

If teams outside the Bay Area also take Casserly's point on board, a steady queue will form for Cousins. Receiving a pair of first-round picks for a tagged quarterback may appeal to the armchair GMs in D.C., but it would do nothing to help the Redskins contend in 2017.

McCloughan and the Redskins may not like it, but they are going to have to pay Cousins.