The Cardinals will, the new coach assured, run the ball.

Kirk Cousins‘ time with the Washington Redskins is about to end after they chose not to use the franchise tag on the quarterback as expected.

The Redskins have agreed to acquire Alex Smith from the Kansas City Chiefs http://www.dolphinsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-michael-deiter-jersey , effectively pushing Cousins into free agency following a tumultuous six years with the club the drafted him. Cousins will be the top free agent available when the league year opens in mid-March and should have no shortage of suitors.

”Next week is now officially the first time since 2007 that I’ll be choosing where to play football,” Cousins posted on Twitter. ”I’m open to suggestions.”

The 29-year-old Cousins is coming off his third consecutive 4,000-yard passing season. In his time as a full-time NFL starter, he has completed 67 percent of his passes for 81 touchdowns, 36 interceptions and a 97.5 QB rating.

Despite previously saying Washington could win with Cousins, coach Jay Gruden said at the scouting combine that ”it’s time for us to move on” and find some continuity at the position.

The Redskins now seemingly have that in Smith, who will join the Redskins once the trade becomes official March 14 and has agreed to a four-year extension with $71 million guaranteed.

Cousins could easily command more than that on the open market with the New York Jets, Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals and Cleveland Browns among the teams interested in upgrading at quarterback.

After becoming the first QB in NFL history to play two consecutive seasons on the franchise tag – making almost $44 million in the process – Cousins is looking for long-term stability in the wake of almost-weekly questions about his future in Washington persisted over the past few years. Agent Mike McCartney declined to comment on the plans of the Cousins camp in an email to The Associated Press on Tuesday.

This is perhaps the first time in Cousins’ football career that he has been No. 1 on any list. He did not have any scholarship offers as a high school senior, was not considered a top prospect after four years at Michigan State and got picked in the fourth round in 2012 by the Redskins – the same draft they traded up to make Robert Griffin III the No. 2 pick.

Only 39-year-old Drew Brees, who’s expected to re-sign with the New Orleans Saints, threw for more yards last season than Cousins, who is the best option available in a crop that includes Case Keenum, Sam Bradford and Josh McCown. Though during the 2017 season it was reported that Cousins could set a record for QB contracts, it’s unclear how close he might come to the $135 million, five-year deal with $92 million guaranteed that Matthew Stafford signed with the Detroit Lions.

NOTE: The Redskins re-signed safety Deshazor Everett to a multiyear deal and waived running backs Dare Ogunbowale and Kenny Hilliard and tackle Kevin Bowen.

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Steve Wilks took over as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals saying he was humbled by the job but exhibiting an abundance of confidence that he can do it well.

The 48-year-old coach Garrett Bradbury Jersey , promoted after just one season as defensive coordinator of the Carolina Panthers, was introduced at a news conference Tuesday, bringing a reputation of connecting easily with his players as he replaces Bruce Arians, who retired after five colorful seasons and 50 victories in Arizona.

”We found a great leader,” Cardinals President Michael Bidwill said, ”and not just a leader with a high football IQ but also a high football `EQ’ (emotional quotient). He doesn’t just coach football players, he coaches people.”

Wilks, who gets a four-year contract with a team option for a fifth, described his coaching style as ”very passionate, persistent and very positive.”

And confident.

”I’m going to tell you right now,” Wilks said, looking at Bidwill and general manager Steve Keim, ”you guys made the right decision.”

In a later interview, Wilks said, ”It’s hard to blend in when you’re born to stand tall.”

Bidwill said he heard nothing but good things about Wilks from his former players, many of them unsolicited.

”I know what he brings to the table. I know what they’re getting,” Washington Redskins and ex-Panthers cornerback Josh Norman said in a statement provided by the Cardinals. ”At the end of the day http://www.vikingsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-irv-smith-jr.-jersey , I came from pretty much nothing to rise up to where I’m at today and he was the catalyst behind that. Position coach all the way up to the ranks of a D-coordinator for a year, and then making it now to a head coaching job; it’s crazy how that trend came for him. The conversations we have are just so enlightening. He’s a leader of men and that’s what it all boils down to.”

Keim was asked what separated Wilks from the other eight candidates interviewed for the job.

”You can become a better coach through experience,” Keim said. ”But to have leadership, to me, there’s an innate part of that. And when you get to know Steve Wilks, you can tell that he has that innate leadership skill that very few people have.”

There was nary a mention of Arians at the news conference. Instead, the new coach, who gained the nickname ”Denzel” back in Carolina due to his resemblance to a certain actor, provided a vision for the foundation of the franchise, while acknowledging ”the elephant in the room.”

”This is not a rebuild, this is a retool,” Wilks said. ”I think we have the pieces in place, when you look at both sides of the ball. There’s a question mark right now and we all know it, the elephant in the room. We don’t have a quarterback.”

This in a division that includes Jared Goff, Russell Wilson and Jimmy Garoppolo.

Keim insisted that lack of a quarterback was not a hindrance in the coaching search.

”We looked at it as a positive,” Keim said, ”As Michael and I talked to the candidates Alexander Mattison Jersey , it’s `You really have a blank canvas. You really have an opportunity to be a part of setting us up for the future at that position.”

Asked which was harder, finding a coach or a quarterback, Keim didn’t hesitate. ”A quarterback,” he said.

”We’re going to be aggressive in the process and there’s going to be a number of different options,” Keim said, ”whether it’s free agency, whether it’s a trade option or whether it’s the draft, or all three.”

While all of Wilks’ 23-year coaching career (11 college, 12 NFL) are on the defensive side. He will inherit the makings of a strong defense in Arizona, anchored by the likes of NFL sack leader Chandler Jones and perennial Pro Bowl cornerback Patrick Peterson.

But the big questions are on offense, and Wilks gave no hint as to who his offensive coordinator will be. He said he wanted his staff in place by the Super Bowl and did not rule out retaining members of the previous one.

He said he’d talked with wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald on the phone but doesn’t know if the star wide receiver will return for a 15th NFL season.

One of Wilks’ biggest smiles came when he talked about the return of running back David Johnson, who was lost for the season when he broke a wrist in the opener.

The Cardinals will, the new coach assured, run the ball.

Wilks’ wife, Marci, two young daughters and an even younger son watched the news conference from the front row then joined him onstage for photos.

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