Kirk Cousins’ Possible Destinations Narrow to 4 Teams
Sometime in the next seven weeks, the Minnesota Vikings will decide Kirk Cousins’ future. He’ll either be back on a short-term deal or set sail on free agency for the first time in six years.
Cousins could command between $40-$50 million on the open market, a price that may be too steep for the Vikings, a franchise nearing the subsequent phases in its “competitive rebuild.”
Kirk Cousins’ Possible Destinations Narrow to 4 Teams
So, with that pricetag in mind and the possibility of Cousins accepting a slight team-friendly discount, these are the 35-year-old’s most likely landing spots in 2024, ranked in ascending order of likelihood (No. 1 = most likely 2024 team).
4. New England Patriots
The Patriots own the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, but before that, a new head coach and an unnamed general manager will scour their first free-agent market. There’s a slight chance that Cousins is available for the taking, and Mayo and friends can embark on winning now, opting not to wait on the development of Drake Maye (North Carolina) or Jayden Daniels (LSU). Always remember, New England has several roster holes to fill, and drafting a sure-thing player like Marvin Harrison (WR, Ohio State) while signing Cousins in free agency could equate to immediate wins.
Generally speaking, this one is a longshot, but New England needs a quarterback — from somewhere.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers may need a new quarterback in the next four months. Kenny Pickett did not develop according to plan in his second year, so much so that he appeared to get kind-of-sort-of benched for Mason Rudolph. Not a good look.
Mike Tomlin’s team could do some serious damage with Cousins under center, just needing a passer to feed George Pickens, Diontae Johnson, Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren, and Pat Freiermuth, among others.
Moreover, former NFLer Marcus Spears agrees. When asked on ESPN’s Get Up this week if Cousins would elevate Pittsburgh to pronto Super Bowl contention, Spears replied, “You damn right they are. Absolutely, they are a Super Bowl contender with Cousins. You are absolutely right.”
2. Atlanta Falcons
Like the Vikings, Atlanta lives in a good-but-not-great spot to draft a quarterback of the future in April. Bill Belichick or Jim Harbaugh might take over as head coach for the Falcons before too long, and either man could likely win with Cousins. Both will foster a great defense, and Atlanta showcases weapons galore in Bjian Robinson, Kyle Pitts, and Drake London.
If Cousins does not return to Minnesota, Atlanta should be considered the number-one-with-a-bullet destination for his services. He even has family ties through marriage to the state of Georgia.
The Falcons have about $26 million in cap space entering the offseason — basically the same as the Vikings.
1. Minnesota Vikings
A no-brainer here, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell have said for months that they’d like to bring Cousins back for Year No. 7. The only thing standing in the way is price.
Cousins began cooking almost exactly at the moment he tore his Achilles. The offense looked fantastic, and Brian Flores’ defense was just turning the corner. The Vikings’ leadership might decide Cousins is the answer if all parties agree on a reasonable pricetag.
Minnesota re-signing Cousins is truly a coinflip as of January 21st, but his reunion with the Vikings is the most likely of all options in terms of betting odds.
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Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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