The Kirk Cousins Theories Were Right
It’s happening.
The Kirk Cousins Theories Were Right
Kirk Cousins will indeed chat with the Atlanta Falcons about a potential free-agent relationship, a hot theory that has circulated for a week.
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini tweeted Monday morning, about 90 minutes before the start of the NFL’s legal tampering period, “Kirk Cousins will hit free agency and begin discussions with Atlanta as soon as the tampering window opens in 90 minutes, per sources.”
The rumor mill regarding Cousins has run wild in the last month, linking him to every quarterback-needy team imaginable, like the Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots, Denver Broncos, and Las Vegas Raiders. But no rumor has blared as clangorous lately as those involving the Falcons. Atlanta will embark on 2024 with a new head coach, Raheem Morris, and if the rumor mill is accurate, Cousins will quarterback that franchise in September.
Cousins-to-Falcons theories hit a fever pitch one week ago when Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio suggested a deal was imminent.
With an esoteric description, Florio wrote Monday, March 4th, “We can’t get into the specifics, for now. But we’re getting very credible indications that Cousins is seriously considering moving his family to Atlanta. Which would mean, obviously, that he’d be signing with the Falcons. The Falcons have always been the top alternative to the Vikings for Cousins, who becomes an unrestricted free agent next Wednesday.”
And after the Russini tweet from this Monday, Florio was correct. Cousins will, in fact, explore Atlanta at his next NFL home.
New Falcons skipper Raheem Morris was the Washington Commanders’ defensive backs coach from 2012 to 2014, also known as Cousins’ first three seasons in the NFL. The two were coworkers. Atlanta’s 2023 campaign was undone by poor quarterback performance, causing the dismissal of head coach Arthur Smith and sending the Falcons to either free agency or the draft for a new QB1. Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke didn’t get the job done in Smith’s last hurrah.
Florio also added one week ago, “The attraction for Cousins, beyond the contract, would be a plethora of great skill-position players — and the fact that the NFC South is currently weaker than the NFC North. The Vikings still have six days of exclusive negotiating rights with Cousins. If they want to keep him, they could make an offer he won’t refuse. Of course, it might be too late for that.”
Cousins would fit quite well in Atlanta. The Falcons possess offensive weapons itching for full deployment, a tactic inexplicably held back by the aforementioned Smith. Put simply, Cousins could feed Kyle Pitts, Bijan Robinson, and Drake London all day on Sundays — every Sunday. Some considered it a crime, mainly fantasy football managers, for Smith to blatantly ignore his playmakers.
If Cousins bolts to Atlanta or elsewhere, Minnesota will need a quarterback, probably from the draft in 6.5 weeks. Caleb Williams (USC), Drake Maye (North Carolina), Jayden Daniels (LSU), Michael Penix Jr. (Washington), J.J. McCarthy (Michigan), and Bo Nix (Oregon) are expected to scoot off the board in Rounds 1 and 2.
Vikings fans could have their “Cousins verdict” as early as Monday afternoon.
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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