The Atlanta Falcons have reportedly signed quarterback Kirk Cousins on the first day of NFL free agency, poaching the perennial Pro Bowl selection away from the Minnesota Vikings.
Cousins was in contract negotiations with Vikings’ officials all weekend and it was reportedly a tight battle between his former team and Atlanta. Shortly after the legal tampering window opened Monday in NFL free agency, Cousins agreed to terms on a lucrative contract with the Falcons that the Vikings wouldn’t match.
- Kirk Cousins stats 2023: 103.8 QB rating, 18-5 TD-INT, 2,331 passing yards, 7.5 yards per attempt
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As reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Cousins is signing a four-year deal worth $180 million. He will receive $90 million total over the first two years of the contract, including a $50 million signing bonus.
Signing at an average annual value of $45 million per season, Cousins ties Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes as the eighth-highest-paid quarterback in the NFL. Cousins’ AAV will trail just behind Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson ($46 million).
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- Kirk Cousins career stats: 98.2 QB rating, 39,471 passing yards, 270 passing touchdowns, 66.8 perccent completion rate, 7.6 yards per attempt, 28 game-winning drives
Why Kirk Cousins will find familiarity with the Atlanta Falcons
Landing Cousins was always Atlanta’s top priority this offseason. After years of quarterback purgatory, Falcons’ owner Arthur Blank fired head coach Arthur Smith and replaced him with Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris. Immediately, Morris made it clear the team would upgrade at quarterback.
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Falcons’ offensive coordinator Zac Robinson should be able to help Cousins make an easy transition into a new offense. Before landing in Atlanta, Robinson served on the Los Angeles Rams coaching staff from 2019 through the 2023 season. During that tenure, he was mentored by Sean McVay and worked alongside Kevin O’Connell. Considering the mastery Cousins developed of O’Connell’s offense, there should be similarities between what Minnesota ran and what the Falcons’ offense will look like next season.
As for the Vikings, Baker Mayfield was believed to be their top backup option to Cousins heading into the weekend. With the Pro Bowl quarterback re-signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Cousins leaving Minnesota, the Vikings are believed to be the team to beat for one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft this April.
