NFL Rumors: ‘Credible indications’ Kirk Cousins is planning a move emerge

While few NFL quarterbacks spend their entire career with one franchise, most of them define their legacies with one organization. Most fans associate Joe Montana with the San Francisco 49ers, Brett Favre with the Green Bay Packers, and Johnny Unitas with the Baltimore Colts. However, every generation has a quarterback who spends his career as an opportunist. Ask ten different fans to name Ryan Fitzpatrick's team and they may give ten different answers.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins seems to be making his case as the next king of journeymen quarterbacks.

Cousins, who spent the past six seasons in Minnesota, is an impending free agent heading into the 2024 NFL season. The 35-year-old veteran will be the most coveted quarterback on the market, despite recovering from an Achilles injury he suffered in Week 8 of the 2023 NFL season.

In 2024, Cousins may be leading the Atlanta Falcons.

Kirk Cousins could be the next quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons

According to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, "very credible indictions" are suggesting that "Cousins is seriously considering moving his family to Atlanta."

ESPN's Adam Schefter also named Atlanta as one of the "primary suitors" for Cousins.

It's no secret that Atlanta is in need of a quarterback. Without being in range to select one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Falcons have been expected to fill the void with a veteran signal-caller instead. After parting ways with head coach Arthur Smith, the Falcons hired former Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris as their new head coach and Rams passing game coordinator Zac Robinson as their new offensive coordinator. Robinson's scheme is similar to that of Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell, so Cousins would likely feel comfortable in Atlanta's offense. The Falcons roster is already packed with young, explosive talent on the offensive side of the ball, and the veteran leadership of Cousins could help propel them to the postseason.

Since being selected in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft, Cousins has established himself as one of the league's most efficient and accurate pocket passers. There has been some skepticism about his ability to perform in big games, but Cousins has consistently ranked among the top half of quarterbacks in the league.

The Vikings had an opportunity to sign their quarterback to a contract extension last offseason. Cousins was coming off of a career-best season in a contract year, but he failed to land a long-term deal. The Vikings prioritized long-term flexibility, so Cousins opted for a short-term deal.

Head coach Kevin O'Connell has made it abundantly clear that the Minnesota Vikings want Cousins to return. Whether or not general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is willing to pay Cousins to come back, however, is an entirely different matter. Cousins has expressed his love for the Vikings organization, but the 35-year-old veteran has never been one to pass up an opportunity to maximize his earnings.

Ever since he first rose to prominence in Washington, the former fourth-round pick has established himself as the NFL's greatest negotiator. Few quarterbacks have worked the free agency landscape as well as Cousins. After his early-career breakout in Washington, Cousins became the first quarterback to receive two consecutive franchise tags in league history. Cousins earned $43.8 million from those two seasons alone. In 2018, Cousins became the NFL's highest-paid player when Minnesota signed him to the first fully guaranteed contract in league history. The savvy veteran signed two lucrative extensions in 2020 and 2022, bringing his career earnings to a total of $231.6 million.

Cousins will be able to begin negotiating contracts with other teams on March 11. That leaves the Vikings with six days of exclusive negotiating rights to work out a contract extension.