Vikings QB Kirk Cousins Signs with the Atlanta Falcons on a 4-Year Deal
Josh Frey
|
The news everyone in Vikings fandom has been waiting for is officially here.
After six seasons in Minnesota, QB Kirk Cousins is officially headed to the Atlanta Falcons to become their new starting quarterback. The news was reported by Cousins’ agent Mike McCartney, who tweeted, “Excited for @KirkCousins8 agreeing to a 4 year deal with the @AtlantaFalcons.”
Kirk Cousins Heads to Atlanta
The rumors of such a decision have abounded for weeks, but now, it is official. The Vikings will have a new starting QB for the 2024 season, and they will eat the $28.5 million in dead money that was left on Cousins’ old deal with the team.
The contract is worth a whopping $180 million which includes $100 million in guaranteed money for the veteran, per Tom Pelissero. Seeing as Cousins is turning 36 years old and is coming off a torn Achilles, it makes sense that the Vikings opted to get out of the negotiations in the end.
Cousins now heads to Atlanta with intriguing offensive weapons around him such as WR Drake London, TE Kyle Pitts, and RB Bijan Robinson, who finished fifth in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting this past season.
Over his six seasons in Minnesota, Cousins was nothing if not consistent. Prior to his Achilles injury in 2023, the veteran quarterback did not miss a single game due to injury, and he recorded 3500+ passing yards and 25+ passing TDs in eight consecutive years going back to his time in Washington.
Consistency is a trait that has not existed at the Falcons QB position ever since Matt Ryan left following the 2021 season, and last year, the team saw Taylor Heinicke and Desmond Ridder split starts. Ridder made 13 starts for Atlanta while Heinicke started four games. Combined, the duo of QBs threw for 3726 yards, 17 TDs, and 16 INTs.
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.
Throughout his career in Minnesota, Cousins started 88 regular season games, throwing for 23,265 yards, 171 TDs, and 55 interceptions. His passing yardage total ranks third all-time in Vikings history while his passing TDs total sits in second behind only Fran Tarkenton.
Editor’s Note: Statistics for this article were found via Pro Football Reference.
So Long, Danielle: NFL Insiders Suggest that the Team’s Longstanding EDGE1 is Going Elsewhere
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.