NFL Rumors: Pressure is on Vikings with 'major contender' for Kirk Cousins looming

The Minnesota Vikings are running out of time to retain quarterback Kirk Cousins. The 35-year-old veteran is set to be a free agent after spending the past six seasons is Minnesota.

General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell have made it clear that the Vikings want Cousins back in Minnesota, but it's unclear if they're willing to pay him to return. The 35-year old veteran will be the most coveted quarterback in the 2024 free agency class.

Cousins' contract voids when the new league year begins on Wednesday, March 13. If Minnesota doesn't extend Cousins by then, a $28.5 million dead money charge will hit their salary cap. That gives the team a hard deadline to agree to terms with the four-time Pro Bowl quarterback. The clock is ticking.

As the Vikings race against time to get a deal done with Cousins, the Atlanta Falcons are hovering nearby.

Atlanta Falcons expected to pursue Vikings QB Kirk Cousins in free agency

The Falcons are considered major contenders to lure Cousins out of Minnesota when free agency officially opens, according to Bleacher Report's Jordan Schultz.

The Falcons make a lot of sense for Cousins. There would be a level of familiarity with the offensive scheme — Like O'Connell, Atlanta's new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson developed his philosophy under Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay. Although Cousins would surely miss Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson, the Falcons offense has plenty of talented playmakers, such as running back Bijan Robinson, wide receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts. And the Falcons will have a much easier path to the postseason in the NFC South division than the Vikings will in the NFC North division.

Minnesota has exclusive negotiating rights with Cousins until Monday, March 11, when the league's "legal tampering" period begins. Or, at least, that's how it should be. O'Connell alluded that other teams had violated tampering rules by negotiating with Cousins during the NFL Scouting Combine in February.

If Cousins knows that the Falcons are ready to offer him a lucrative contract, that might influence his decision-making process with Minnesota. After all, Cousins has never been the type to take a hometown discount — he is currently ranked No. 11 on the all-time career earnings list. Reports have indicated that Cousins may already be preparing to move to Atlanta.

The Vikings are expecting to hear from Cousins by Sunday night on his decision to explore free agency, according to The Athletic's Dianna Russini.

In his 88 games with the Vikings, Cousins compiled a 50-37-1 record and completed 67.9 percent of his passes for 23,265 yards, 171 touchdowns and 55 interceptions. Cousins had the best year of his career during the 2022 NFL season, when Minnesota won the NFC North division with a 13-4 record.

Cousins is currently recovering from a torn Achilles injury he suffered in Week 8 of the 2023 NFL season. Still, he is expected to command an average annual salary of roughly $40 million. While the Vikings don't have a succession plan in place, they hold the No. 11 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, which features a particularly strong class of quarterbacks.