Kirk Cousins earned just under $20 million last season under the franchise tag.
He is scheduled to become a free agent, but Washington has the ability to tag him again.
New 49ers general manager John Lynch has praised Cousins in the past, and the quarterback returned the favor on Thursday morning.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
"John's a smart guy," Cousins said on KNBR 680. "He's been around this league a long time. He knows what it takes to win a Super Bowl. He's done it. Been on a couple really good organizations ... down the road, they may have as sharp a guy and as experienced a guy as you can find.
"And a class act at that. I think it was a good hire and credit the 49ers for going outside the box and doing something different, and not just getting stuck in a rut of the same old thing."
When Cousins hears his name linked to the 49ers, how does that feel?
[MAIOCCO: Kyle Shanahan: 'I'll have no regrets about this Super Bowl']
San Francisco 49ers
Find the latest San Francisco 49ers news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Bay Area and California.
"I'll tell ya -- it's good to be wanted," Cousins answered. "So hopefully down the road, there will be people wanting me. So, we'll see how it all plays out. The unique thing with the franchise tag is if the (Washington team) chooses to place that on me, then I'm pretty much off the market.
"So we'll see what they choose to do come March 1 and the ball's in their court along those lines. Based on that, I'll react accordingly."
Cousins threw for 4917 yards in 2016 and amassed 29 touchdowns (25 passing and four rushing) against 12 interceptions. He made the Pro Bowl.
In 2012 and 2013, the 2012 fourth-round pick played under presumptive 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan.
"I've always been a big fan of Kyle's," Cousins said. "I've always spoken very highly of him from the day I was picked. And he called me right after the draft and preached belief in me and encouragement ... I loved his system right away and saw it successfuly run with Robert Griffin. I've seen it now run successfully with Matt Ryan.
"Kyle adapts his scheme to the players he has. He's just an offensive genius ... his decisions over time have proven to be right. I'm a big fan of his -- always will be."
Is Cousins open to playing on the West Coast?
"From the day I left college and entered the draft, you have an open mind," Cousins said. "You're gonna go where the job takes you and see how far this game can go before you hang it up.
"I have an open mind. My wife, even more importantly, has an open mind. She's ready to do whatever it takes. We both love Washington but we're ready to do whatever it takes."
The 49ers are scheduled to play at Washington next season.