Kirk Cousins Rests His Case
About 15 months have passed since long-time Vikings starting quarterback Kirk Cousins left the organization for good and signed with the Atlanta Falcons instead. There’s no doubt about it, the 36-year-old has regretted that decision.
Kirk Cousins Rests His Case
He surprisingly showed up for practice earlier in the offseason, but skipped the recent OTAs. Cousins has been linked to numerous franchises all offseason, including the Vikings, but nothing has gained much traction, and he is still rostered by the Falcons.
Mandatory minicamp is, well, mandatory, and Cousins avoided any fines by reporting. He then had a media session and addressed his situation.
“Obviously, you would love to play, but I’m not going to dwell on things that aren’t reality,” Cousins said after Atlanta’s first minicamp practice. “That’s not the situation I’m in, so it’s better to be focused on the situation I’m in and control what I can control. I think that’s the right mindset to have.”
The Falcons have made it clear that Michael Penix Jr., last year’s number eight overall pick, will be the guy moving forward. Cousins lost his starting spot after 14 games last season following a month-long struggle dominated by turnovers.
Earlier in the offseason, Cousins hoped to be released, but the Falcons threw a monkey wrench into that plan by not only refusing to release him but also by not finding a trade partner and offering to take on enough of the contract to make a team jump on that deal.
Cousins said about trade chatter: “Certainly there were conversations in January, February, March, even April, but we’re moving forward now,” he said. “Those are things we talked about months ago. Now we need to move forward. Right now, it’s about the situation I’m in and being the best I can be and hopefully, in February, we as an organization are holding up the Lombardi Trophy.”
Like him or not, Cousins has always been a class act in his media appearances, and this one didn’t disappoint either. Folks who want him to take shots at teammates and the organization leave his pressers generally dissatisfied.
He sounded a lot like someone who has accepted his fate as Atlanta’s QB2, and he is the kind of guy who will support sophomore Penix Jr. in his first year as a starter.
Head coach Raheem Morris said about him possibly being a distraction: “I am really comfortable with Kirk because of who he is, the character, the person. We don’t worry about those things with Kirk. He’s going to go out and do whatever it takes to help this football team as long as he’s with us, and he’s with us. It’s been a less dramatic situation than it is from an outside-the-building standpoint. I don’t worry about that with Michael at all,” he said. “You guys have been around him. He’s not going to die from a heart attack. He’s very poised, very calm. Kirk is not in the business of disrupting Michael Penix.”
There are three somewhat realistic paths that could still lead to Cousins playing football in the upcoming season.
Penix Jr. could get hurt. Vikings fans are familiar with this scenario due the injury turmoil of 2023 and J.J. McCarthy’s knee in 2024. If Penix Jr. is out, Cousins enters the starting lineup.
Another option is if the young passer struggles. Just last year, the Panthers and the Colts briefly benched their highly drafted sophomores, Bryce Young and Anthony Richardson.
And finally, if a quarterback gets hurt elsewhere, the Falcons might be the first organization to receive a call. That would bump the price for the four-time Pro Bowler.
The veteran has played in 164 career games, 88 of those with the Vikings. His 23,265 passing yards rank him third, and his 171 passing touchdowns are second in franchise history.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.
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