The Atlanta Falcons have a new quarterback. Kirk Cousins plans to sign a four-year contract with the Falcons, according to his agent, Mike McCartney.
Cousins will join Atlanta following six seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. The 35-year-old is coming off a torn Achilles but is expected to be ready for the 2024 season.
In eight games last season, Cousins completed 69.5% of his passes for 2,331 yards and 18 touchdowns to go along with five interceptions. He’s a four-time Pro Bowler and was the best quarterback on the free agent market.
Kirk Cousins Contract Details
Atlanta signed Cousins to a four-year deal worth $180 million, according to NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero.
The deal reportedly includes a $50 million signing bonus and $100 million guaranteed. Of the guaranteed money, $90 million we be paid in 2024 with another $10 million in 2025. So, as of right now, Cousins won’t be guaranteed any money in 2026, when he’ll be 38 years old.
Additional details on Cousins’ contract, including potential incentives, weren’t known at the time of this writing.
Does Landing Kirk Cousins Make Falcons Contenders in NFC?
The Falcons went 7-10 last season but have a young, talented roster that might be just a quarterback away from competing in the NFC. They also have a new, respected head coach in Raheem Morris.
Cousins will have a slew of impressive weapons to work with, including receiver Drake London, tight end Kyle Pitts and running back Bijan Robinson. Atlanta also has an ascending defense that came on strong late last season.
Whether the Falcons will be true Super Bowl contenders remains to be seen, and much of it will be determined by the health of Cousins, who’ll turn 36 in August. Nevertheless, adding Cousins dramatically improves Atlanta’s prospects in 2024 — especially in its own division.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers presumably will be the favorites to win the NFC South after finishing atop the division in 2023. They re-signed QB Baker Mayfield and receiver Mike Evans, and retained safety Antoine Winfield Jr. with a franchise tag.
But the Bucs also are long in the tooth on both sides of the ball, and Mayfield remains somewhat unproven even after a career-best campaign. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Tampa takes a step back in 2023.
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The New Orleans Saints finished 9-8 last season but seemingly have plateaued. Derek Carr is a solid quarterback, but he’s done nothing to suggest he’s capable of leading a team on a deep playoff run.
At worst, the Falcons and Saints should be considered on the same level at this stage of the offseason.
The Carolina Panthers, meanwhile, will face low expectations after finishing 2-15 last season. However, a bounce-back campaign from sophomore QB Bryce Young could change everything.
Ultimately, nothing is guaranteed for a team that will hitch its wagons to an old quarterback rehabbing a torn Achilles. But the Falcons suddenly have a much higher ceiling, which is reflected in the updated Super Bowl odds.
The Falcons' odds to win the Super Bowl BEFORE signing Kirk Cousins: +3500
The Falcons' odds to win the Super Bowl AFTER signing Kirk Cousins: +2800 pic.twitter.com/qe4jAAMDPX
— DraftKings Sportsbook (@DKSportsbook) March 11, 2024
Minnesota Vikings Bid Farewell To Kirk Cousins
Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah used social media to share a statement after Cousins joined the Falcons.
“After significant and positive dialogue with Kirk and his representatives, we were unable to reach agreement on a contract that fits the short and long-term visions for both Kirk and the Minnesota Vikings, Adofo-Mensah wrote.
“Kirk holds a special place in Vikings history, and we appreciate his leadership and contributions to the team and the Minneapolis-St. Paul community over the past six seasons. We wish him, his wife, Julie, and their children all the best.
“Our approach heading into free agency always included layers of contingencies regarding the quarterback position. We are moving forward with plans that allow us to continue building a roster that can compete for a championship.”
Fantasy Football Impact Of Kirk Cousins Joining Falcons
From Pro Football Network’s Ben Rolfe:
Cousins signing in Atlanta has huge fantasy ramifications both with the Falcons and in Minnesota. For Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Bijan Robinson the boost in value is huge. We have seen how that group struggled with poor quarterback play in recent years, and now they get a legitimate starting QB. To put that into context, last year, the Falcons had 17 passing touchdowns; Cousins had 18 in eight games, and he didn’t even finish the eighth game.
That boost in potential opportunities to score alone will be huge for Pitts and London. While it may have less of an impact on Robinson, having a more competent QB under center will mean teams cannot key in on the running game.
Unfortunately, this news has the opposite effect on Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson. The QB situation in Minnesota is very much in flux and until we get some clarity, all three of the main fantasy options see their value dip. The problem is that there are not many options available now that would see that value jump back to where it was with Cousins.
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