The Rumors Prove True: Falcons Steal Cousins Away from Vikings
K. Joudry
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Well, all of the rumors ended up being true. The Falcons are welcoming Kirk Cousins as their QB1 in 2024 and beyond.
Mike McCartney, Cousins’ agent, sent out a tweet breaking the news, describing how he is “excited” since Cousins will be “agreeing to a 4 year deal with the Atlanta Falcons.” Not too long afterwards, Tom Pelissero clarified some of the terms of the deal: “The #Falcons are signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract that includes a $50M signing bonus, per sources. Another monster payday for Cousins, who gets $100 guaranteed — $90M in 2024 and ‘25, plus another $10M in 2026 — and a fresh start in Atlanta at age 35.”
The Rumors Prove True: Falcons Steal Cousins Away from Vikings
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is a strong negotiator. He’s very willing to say “no,” which is an underrated part of going to the negotiation table.
Meanwhile, Cousins is no slouch. The man is a very good quarterback but an elite contract negotiator. He knows how to make money, and his latest deal simply reconfirms what has long been evident.
Various teammates articulated their desire to see Cousins stick around for 2024 (and beyond), but the price Atlanta was willing to pay was simply too much for Minnesota.
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah released a statement through the team’s official social media. The GM describes the “significant and positive dialogue” that took place before thanking Cousins.
The final thought is arguably of the most importance for the Vikings: “Our approach heading into free agency always included layers of contingencies regarding the quarterback position. We are moving forward with plans that allow us to continue building a roster that can compete for a championship.”
On PurplePTSD, Josh Frey unpacked some of the implications: “This decision leaves the Vikings in search of a starting QB option with only Jaren Hall and Nick Mullens currently on the roster. Of course, this year’s draft is chock full of talent at the position, and with the Vikings sitting at the No. 11 overall pick, they could very feasibly trade up to take a shot at one of the better talents in the class.”
Minnesota will also be considering trade possibilities alongside the free agents who are currently out there.
Moving on from Cousins means that the $28.5 million in dead money will move from hypothetical to actual. Next year, though, the team will have more financial flexibility, which is something Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has always coveted.
The veteran quarterback will soon be 36 and is recovering from an Achilles tear. He’s expected to be healthy well before the 2024 NFL season arrives.
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K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.
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