The Rangers know there is a high probability Desmond won't accept, as he instead could seek a multi-year deal through the free-agent market. The club's willingness to extend the offer is a tangible sign it wants to bring him back.
"I don't know if it's something that is going to happen quickly," Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said on Tuesday at the GM Meetings in Scottsdale, Ariz. "He's got a lot of options and we're looking at ours. We'll see what happens."
Desmond did not accept a qualifying offer last winter from the Nationals when he was a free agent.