Free agency may be costly

Another off season featuring ongoing contract drama with quarterback Kirk Cousins has over shadowed the Redskins’ other needs for the 2017 season.

- Brian McNally

Washington hasn’t been a big player in free agency under team president Bruce Allen or general manager Scot McCloughan. The only expensive outside investment the organization has made in recent years was the signing of star cornerback Josh Norman last April for five years and $75 million. That might have to change when free agency opens on March 9 if McCloughan and his staff want to see a better product on the field next fall.

Cousins’ situation bears watching. If the Redskins use the franchise tag on him for the second year in a row, as expected, it will cost them nearly $23.9 million. The other options at quarterback are limited. The best bet is Colt McCoy would be the starter since he’s under contract.

Receivers DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon are expected to hit the open market. Those two and Cousins are really the only big internal worries for Washington, which would also like to re-sign veteran tight end Vernon Davis, but has shown little interest in negotiating with defensive end Chris Baker.

Beyond those names are replaceable veterans (Ziggy Hood, Donte Whitner), so-so reserves (Duke Ihenacho, Greg Toler) or aging players (Kedric Golston, Cullen Jenkins). It’s unlikely any of them will return.

That leaves plenty of work to do for a team that has won 17 games over two seasons, but is still trying to fix gaping holes on the roster. That process begins with the defensive line again.