Mike Florio has reported that Cousins is “seriously considering” picking up and moving to Atlanta — which would indicate that he intends to join the Falcons in free agency this month. Cousins’ wife, Julie, grew up nearby in Alpharetta, Georgia, and her parents still live in the Atlanta area.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has a close relationship with Cousins and has expressed great interest in keeping him as Minnesota’s quarterback for 2024. But the franchise is running out of time to take advantage of its exclusive negotiating window with Cousins, which ends on March 11. Minnesota’s brain trust — including general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and longtime owner Zygi Wilf — also has to sign superstar receiver Justin Jefferson to a contract extension that will possibly make him the highest-paid receiver in the NFL.
The lull in negotiations with Cousins — who has guided the Vikings into the playoffs twice in six seasons — could be interpreted as the franchise deciding to move on to a younger, cheaper signal-caller to pair with Jefferson next season.
Falcons need a solution at quarterback
Atlanta has been widely expected to make a change at quarterback this offseason after it failed to make the playoffs in 2023. The Falcons will move to replace starter Desmond Ridder with a more-proven commodity, and four-time Pro Bowler Cousins would fit the bill.
Under new head coach Raheem Morris, the Falcons are hoping to take a leap in 2024 and win a weak NFC South. Atlanta has young, intriguing skill players all taken with high draft picks, such as Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Bijan Robinson. Acquiring a solid quarterback to get them the ball could easily be the difference between going 7-10 and 10-7 in 2024 — although questions remain about Cousins’ Achilles tendon.
Minnesota is interested in bringing back Cousins on a short-term contract, but the 35-year-old will have multiple quarterback-hungry suitors chasing him on the open market. And according to a report from ProFootballTalk, a familial connection could see Cousins leave the midwest and move south.
Kirk Cousins and the Minnesota Vikings have been together for six years, but their partnership could come to an end this month when the veteran quarterback becomes a free agent for the second time in his NFL career. Cousins, who helds several Vikings passing records, is making steady progress in his recovery from the right Achilles tendon tear that ended his 2023 season prematurely — and cast doubt over his football future.
