Kirk Cousins was free to join with the Falcons after being released by the Vikings.
For every team that needs a quarterback and wants to be competitive in 2024, including the Falcons, Kirk Cousins is the most sought-after free agent target.
Arthur Blank did not fire Arthur Smith because he planned to rebuild. The team’s owner expects a competitive 2024, and with a rookie quarterback, Atlanta won’t have the best opportunity to end their postseason drought in 2024.
Even if it means making two trips to the quarterback market, the Falcons should ideally take care of both their short- and long-term needs in the coming months. In the long run, it would be fantastic to choose a player like J.J. McCarthy to learn from the veteran while also signing a win-now free agent like Cousins.
However, Kirk Cousins won’t be available to the Falcons alone. As I mentioned, the 35-year-old will be appealing to the Vikings and any other team that wishes to compete and has a gap at the position. However, Minnesota may have made it simpler for Atlanta to remove him.As is often the case, Sports Illustrated reports that the Vikings are reluctant to give the seasoned signal caller a fully guaranteed contract.
The Vikings might be able to watch the solid veteran leave via free agency as cousins are not franchise-tagged.Spotrac estimates that Cousins might be worth $39.3 million per year for a three-year contract.
For someone who will turn 36 in a few months, that is a big change, especially if it is guaranteed. But before straining his Achilles in Week 8, Cousins was having a career year.
Cousins had 291.4 passing yards per game, his highest total since 2016, and tossed 18 touchdowns to just five interceptions. Given the amount of output the Falcons are receiving, $40 million a year sounds about right, albeit a little under market. Those are top-10 figures at a salary that is not among the top 10 of the highest-paid quarterbacks.
