Kirk Cousins Says Goodbye to Redskins in Open Letter Ahead of Free Agency

As he prepares to leave in free agency, Kirk Cousins penned a letter to Washington, thanking the fans and organization for his six years with the franchise.

"Knowing I will not be putting on a Redskins jersey next season, it's hard to look back at all that's taken place and not become emotional," Cousins wrote. "I will forever be grateful to Mike Shanahan for taking a chance on me in the 2012 draft. At the time, many people saw his selection as foolish.

"Time proved otherwise and taught me that there are no guarantees in this business—if you work hard and learn from your mistakes, good things can happen. For the first time in 11 years I will participate in choosing where I play. Having said this, I would not trade the past decade for anything."

Cousins also may have tipped his hand as to which way he's leaning in free agency. He included "Jets" and "Vikings" among the tags on the post, as Bleacher Report's Master Tesfatsion noted:

The New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings are expected to be among the top contenders for his services.

Washington selected Cousins in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL draft, which seemed like an odd choice at the time. The team had just traded multiple future draft choices to select Robert Griffin III with the second overall pick three rounds earlier. At the time, adding Cousins seemed like an unnecessary luxury for a team in need of depth.

Following a breakout rookie season, Griffin's star collapsed while Cousins became the last man standing in Washington. He was the team's primary starter for the last three seasons, breaking nearly every single-season franchise mark. 

In 2016, Cousins made his first Pro Bowl and threw for a franchise record 4,917 yards. He followed it up with a 4,093-yard, 27-touchdown performance in 2017. 

"Just like you never fully leave your hometown—you never fully leave your first NFL team, especially after six seasons," Cousins wrote. "My family and I will always have a piece of Washington deep in our hearts. I arrived as a single, 23-year-old from the Midwest—with a lot to learn and prove. I now leave as a husband of four years to my wife, Julie, and a father to my son, Cooper—but still with lots to learn and prove."

Cousins is expected to be the most sought-after free agent on the market, and he may become the highest-paid player in NFL history. He played the last two seasons under the franchise tag, and Washington chose to let him walk rather than franchising him again for $34.5 million.