It’s now 2017, and instead of another shot at the playoffs, free agency is the next big thing for the Redskins quarterback. He has provided little late evidence to guarantee a lucrative long-term contract to stay in Washington.

There was plenty in confidence in Cousins when he lit up the Packers in Week 11. He had his best game of this season against the team he couldn’t help Washington beat in last season’s wild-card round.

At the time, the Redskins were 6-3-1, on track to join the Cowboys and Giants as NFC East playoff teams. After that 375-yard, 3-TD performance in a 42-24 victory, Washington finished 2-4 to free-fall out of the wild card.

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Instead of “you like that” being the lasting impression, it will be what happened against the Giants at home in Week 17.

New York had its wild-card spot locked up and was playing it very carefully with key players on both sides of the ball. Cousins had multiple chances to turn a frustrating 19-10 loss into a Redskins victory. His numbers — 22 of 35, 287 yards, TD, two INTs — just didn’t add up to that.

Cousins struggled with decision making and moving the ball with a short-to-intermediate passing game in a scoreless first half. His first interception, in the third quarter, came on a throw from right outside the red zone. His second interception, in the fourth quarter, on a potential game-tying drive, came right outside of field-goal range.

It was a golden opportunity to win and get in the playoffs at home, wasted. It wasn’t as bad as the prime-time whiff against the Panthers in Week 15, but it had the same effect of costing Washington a playoff position.

The Redskins were only a half game back of their division-winning campaign of 2015, but Cousins, after seeming to turn the corner at midseason, wound up taking several steps back. Sure, only Drew Brees threw for more than Cousins’ 4,917 yards, but it came with fewer TDs (29 to 25) and more INTs (12 to 11).

Overall, Cousins’ numbers look solid with still above-average efficiency, but the same issue lingers: his coming through in the biggest, toughest games when his team needs him most. The ability to light up teams downfield with his big arm is there, but so is the maddening inconsistency.

Washington did have some other problems. It struggled against the run for most of the season. It had only flashes of an effective power running game. Cousins, more times than not, was the relative bright spot.

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That leaves the Redskins in a tough spot with Cousins. Let him walk, and they need to start all over trying to find a competent starter. Pay him what he wants, and live with the limited ceiling he’s already shown in his game.

Cousins is no longer a young QB who can develop much more. He’ll turn 29 next August, and the prime and peak is already here. 

The Redskins need to be wary about overpaying him in relation to the returns. The good news for Cousins is, he still plays for Daniel Snyder, who tends to do that with free agents.

There’s no going back now. Cousins made $19.953 million for lesser results. He’ll shoot over $20 million per season with big guarantees. Cousins’ signing will be tied more to the inflated QB market and keeping him away from a more desperate team willing to break the bank, like Cleveland.

Cousins puts Washington into a similar situation that Cincinnati experienced with Andy Dalton. The Bengals were forced to pay up for some stability there to match the Steelers with Ben Roethlisberger and the Ravens with Joe Flacco, even with a lesser product.

The Redskins have been behind the Giants and Eli Manning. They now know the Cowboys with Dak Prescott at the helm are set up for longer-term, top-flight play. Carson Wentz and the Eagles also have a pretty promising future together. Those are three big reasons Washington needs to cave on Cousins.

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Cousins will get paid, but the Redskins need to keep from giving him too many millions. He isn’t exactly Brock Osweiler or Jay Cutler, but he’s still a lot closer to the muddled middle of mediocrity than the truly elite.

The Redskins were reminded of that in the hardest way Sunday. That should make them a lot more uneasy about the money they’re about to spend.