Washington Redskins RB Chris Thompson clarifies Cousins situation

Now that the Washington Redskins are free from the Kirk Cousins conundrum, speculation is slowly giving way to cold, hard facts.

The entire league was placed into a state of shock when word broke last Tuesday night that Alex Smith would be heading to D.C. in a blockbuster, effectively ending the confusing Kirk Cousins era in the nation’s capital.

The swift end of a long and tumultuous chronicle has fans, for lack of a better word, relieved. And the case appears to be the same for many players as well, including Washington Redskins star running back Chris Thompson.

Thompson, in a Washington Post article by Scott Allen, spoke out about Cousins’ inevitable departure from D.C., saying that, among other things, it never felt as if returning to the Redskins was the top option in Cousins’ mind. Here is what Thompson had to say, when asked if Cousins actually wanted to stay with the team long-term.

"More from Riggo's RagHighlighting the best Commanders 2023 NFL Draft betting props3 late Commanders rumors drawing buzz ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft4 bold predictions for the Commanders 2023 NFL DraftCommanders News: Chase Young trade, draft day, CB riser and Sam HowellBet365 VA Bonus Code – Claim $200 Guaranteed With Sign-Up Bonus Uhhhh … I think everybody got some mixed messages, I will say that. I know for me, talking to Kirk, being with Kirk, all we talked about was, you know, ‘C.T., with you staying healthy, we can do this with you, we can do that with you,’ and we were able to do a lot of the things that Kirk wanted to do with me.We wanted to continue this, so for me, I expected him to be here. I knew it would be hard given that we want to win, but if you pay a guy [$30 million] a year, it’s going to sacrifice some other things as well, as far as helping our defense out, maybe getting some more receivers, or running backs and all those type of things.It’s kind of hard to say. I think everybody got a different feel about it, but I know Kirk enjoyed being with me and I enjoyed being with him, so I wanted him to be here and I think part of him wanted to be here, but at the end of the day, you gotta do whatever you think is best for you and your family."

Thompson’s words echo a sentiment that was clearly visible in recent months, and a notion that some of us were not willing to accept. If Cousins had wanted to stay in Washington, as opposed to testing the market, he would have made it happen. Cousins allowed the situation to fall out of his control, and by his actions, it was clear that there was too much damage done to his relationship with the front office to reconcile and come to an agreement.

A breakup was the best way to end this, in hindsight, and while the Washington Redskins might have lost Kendall Fuller and a third round draft pick, they did acquire a quality quarterback with a few years left in Kansas City’s Alex Smith.

Thompson went on to say that he’s “excited” to play with Alex Smith, and he should be. Smith is a player who projects well in Jay Gruden’s offense, and odds are, he’ll absolutely love having a weapon like Chris Thompson. Thompson is a force to be reckoned with in the passing game, as well as a change of pace back, and if he can stay healthy, he will be the key piece in the Washington Redskins’ offensive unit. Smith will also have a chip on his shoulder, which should only help him prove his doubters wrong.

Next: 5 best draft picks for the Redskins to target in Round 1

Washington Redskins players seem to be making peace with the fact that Kirk Cousins leaving. They seemed to react more to Kendall Fuller’s departure, but a likely reason for that is that Fuller’s ouster was rather unexpected. The Cousins situation has been billowing for years, and while there was hope that a deal would get done, in some corners (not me, I swear), it was unlikely from the start.