Another offseason, another contract standoff between Kirk Cousins and the Washington Redskins. By now, it's becoming a tradition. 

Once again, Cousins wrapped up a solid-but-not-great season under the lucrative, but short-term, franchise tag. Once again, it's time for the Redskins to hesitate to hand him the long-term expensive contract that he desires.

On Tuesday, two days after the Redskins wrapped up a 7-9 season, Redskins coach Jay Gruden offered some measured praise for Cousins. Gruden called Cousins "a very, very good quarterback," but also pointed out that it's hard to call him outstanding when the team finished below .500. 

"When you're 7-9, you know it's hard to say, 'Wow, this guy really was outstanding,'" Gruden said, via NBCSports.com. "Kirk had his flashes where he was really good. From a consistent standpoint, over the course of 16 games, you know we're 7-9."

"He did some great things, threw for over 4,000 yards and 29 touchdowns," the coach added. "I think he's a very, very good quarterback without a doubt, but as far as getting us over the hump from 7-9 to winning a division with all the injuries that we had, I think he competed and did some good things."

In 2017, playing in an offense depleted by free agency and in-season injuries, Cousins completed 64.3 percent of his passes for 4,093 yards, 27 touchdowns, 13 picks, and a 93.9 passer rating. Since 2015, when Cousins became the Redskins' starter, he ranks fourth in passing yards (13,176), eighth in touchdown passes (81), and sixth in passing rating (97.5) among quarterbacks with at least 16 starts. 

Those aren't necessarily outstanding numbers, but they're good-enough numbers to land him an expensive contract from some quarterback-needy team. If Matthew Stafford can get a contract worth $27 million a year, why can't Cousins? That's the way the quarterback market works. More than a few teams are desperate for a competent quarterback and that's exactly what Cousins is. Someone will pay him. It just remains to be seen if that team will end up being the Redskins, who could always franchise tag him a third straight time or hit him with the transition tag, which would give them a right to match another team's offer.

To this point, they've been reluctant to commit to him, choosing to franchise tag him in consecutive offseasons, which means they paid him nearly $24 million in 2017 and nearly $20 million in 2016. So, in all, Cousins has made nearly $44 million under the franchise tag, all before he finally signs a lucrative long-term deal, which is probably going to happen eventually. Even if the Redskins decide to franchise tag him again, he'll make more than $34 million in 2018. 

I'm guessing he'd like that. One way or another, Cousins will cash-in this offseason.