Kirk Cousins is departing Minnesota for Atlanta, securing another substantial contract through a strategic move in free agency.
According to a source familiar with the terms who spoke anonymously to The Associated Press, Cousins has agreed to a four-year, $180 million deal with $100 million guaranteed with the Falcons. The deal cannot be officially signed until Wednesday when the new league year commences.
Cousins receives a $50 million signing bonus, with his salaries for 2024 and 2025 fully guaranteed, according to the source. His annual average salary of $45 million would place him among the top 10 highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL.
Atlanta faced a significant quarterback vacancy after utilizing Desmond Ridder and Tyler Heinicke last season. Additionally, Cousins’ wife, Julie, grew up in Alpharetta, an Atlanta suburb, making the move a natural fit despite leaving his comfortable situation in Minnesota at the age of 35.
Interestingly, the Falcons are slated to play an away game against the Vikings during the 2024 season.
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah stated in a team-distributed statement, “Following extensive and constructive discussions with Kirk and his representatives, we couldn’t come to terms on a contract that aligns with both Kirk’s and the Minnesota Vikings’ short- and long-term goals. Kirk has been a significant figure in Vikings history, and we acknowledge his leadership and impact on the team and the Minneapolis-St. Paul community during his six seasons with us. We extend our best wishes to him, his wife Julie, and their children.”
Following the departure of their longtime franchise player Matt Ryan in 2022, the Falcons selected Ridder in the third round and signed Marcus Mariota, but neither acquisition proved successful. Consequently, the Falcons have endured six consecutive seasons without winning more than seven games.
However, the NFC South presents a wide-open opportunity. Cousins in Atlanta will be surrounded by promising young talent including running back Bijan Robinson, wide receiver Drake London, and tight end Kyle Pitts, all first-round draft picks from the past three years.
The Falcons’ new head coach Raheem Morris and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson both joined from the Los Angeles Rams, similar to Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell. This means the offense Cousins will lead with the Falcons will be familiar to him.
Despite recovering from a torn Achilles tendon in his right foot, which caused him to miss time due to injury for the first instance in his career, Cousins posted a 103.8 passer rating in eight games for the Vikings last season, the third best in the league despite the absence.
Considered a late bloomer, Cousins has seen some of his most productive seasons since Kevin O’Connell joined the Vikings in 2022.
Regardless of how negotiations unfolded, the Vikings needed a succession plan due to Cousins’ age and their commitment to what general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has described as a “competitive rebuild,” a sentiment reiterated in his statement on Monday.
“Our approach to free agency always included multiple plans for the quarterback position,” Adofo-Mensah stated. “We’re moving ahead with strategies aimed at building a roster capable of competing for a championship.”
During Cousins’ absences, Joshua Dobbs, Jaren Hall, and Nick Mullens all took turns filling in, with varying degrees of success, as the Vikings finished with a 7-10 record.
The Vikings were serious about keeping Cousins, but due to their salary cap constraints and the improving competitive landscape in the NFC North, they had to set limits on how much and for how long they could commit to him. With the 11th pick in the upcoming draft, they’re likely too low to secure one of the top quarterback prospects, but they’re expected to select one in the first or second day given the depth of this year’s class.
Despite his desire to finish his career in Minnesota, Cousins also emphasized the importance of being valued with a commitment beyond just a short-term deal.
“It’s not about the money itself, but what it signifies,” Cousins explained in an interview with reporters on January 8.
Cousins has not only excelled on the field, rising from an overlooked college recruit to a fourth-round draft pick, and now ranking 24th in NFL history in career passing yards (39,471), but he has also navigated the business aspects of the game adeptly with guidance from his agent Mike McCartney.
After playing under consecutive franchise tags with Washington in 2016 and 2017, Cousins capitalized on hitting free agency in 2018 when the Vikings had cap space and a critical need at quarterback following an NFC championship game appearance. He secured the first fully guaranteed, multi-year contract in NFL history for a quarterback, signing for $84 million.
In the last eight seasons alone, Cousins has amassed earnings exceeding $228 million, though he has only won one playoff game, following the 2019 season.
Last year, the Vikings restructured Cousins’ contract by extending it with four voidable years, which didn’t involve any additional payment to him but aimed to lower his salary cap impact. However, this maneuver will burden the Vikings in 2024 with a $28.5 million salary cap hit, representing the remaining proration of his last extension from 2022.
