The Atlanta Falcons found an upgraded quarterback in Kirk Cousins after the two sides agreed to a four-year $180 million contract, including $100 million guaranteed.
This means Cousins, who is still recovering from a season-ending injury, will earn $45 million per season until 2028.
The Falcons have been searching for a consistent starting quarterback since trading away Matt Ryan.
The Minnesota Vikings expressed their desire to keep Cousins, who was having a great season before suffering a torn Achilles in October last year. However, they failed to come to an agreement that considered Cousins's and the team's future.
"Our approach heading into free agency always included layers of contingencies regarding the quarterback position," Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said in a statement.
"We are moving forward with plans that allow us to continue building a roster that can compete for a championship."
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Cousins has been a stabilizing force in Minnesota since arriving in 2018. The Atlanta Falcons hope he can play the same role as their new quarterback.
Although Cousins is an upgrade, fans should temper their expectations.
Stability? Yes. Contender? Not Yet.
The Falcons front office made it known after the end of the 2023 season that they will aggressively look for a quarterback.
They previously had Marcus Mariota, who was their starting quarterback for 13 games in 2022. With him as QB1, they finished fourth in the NFC South but did not make the playoffs.
The team let Mariota go and replaced him with Desmond Ridder, a third-round draftee from 2022. Just like Mariota, Ridder could not provide consistent performances last season to the point that he was benched in some games in favor of Taylor Heinicke.
With four Pro Bowls in his name, Cousins could be the one they are looking for.
His signing should make the Atlanta Falcons among the teams to watch out for in the NFC.
Cousins was an Ironman before his injury and always played at a high level for his team. He was tied for league-best passing touchdowns with 18 and was ranked second in passing yards with 2,331 before his unfortunate injury.
He has also played 136 of a possible 138 games since becoming the Washington Commanders' QB1 in 2015. He did not start only when he was rested and due to COVID-19 protocols.
Cousins is fourth in completion percentage among active quarterbacks. He has also been in the Top 10 in passes completed and passing touchdowns for six seasons.
This is what the Falcons have been missing for their offense. Ridder and Heinicke combined for just 61.4 percent completion.
The Falcons are not yet title contenders, but if you have a reliable quarterback, everything else will follow. His veteran smarts should calm down their young and excited offense.
Right now, the Falcons need to keep their fingers crossed that Cousins will be available by the start of the season.
Cousins said he is having a "positive experience" with his rehab and, "I'll probably appreciate playing more than I ever have before."
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