Kirk Cousins

NFC West Notes: Cousins, Cards, Seahawks

November 13th, 2024 at 1:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Brock Purdy ranks seventh in QBR, and while some bumps in the road have formed for Kyle Shanahan‘s quick study, he remains on steady ground months after going toe-to-toe with Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl LVIII. The 49ers have Purdy tied to rookie-deal money through season’s end and then an interesting decision will loom. With Dak Prescott raising the market (thanks to unique leverage) to $60MM per year, Purdy will be in line for a high-end deal — even if it does not eclipse the Cowboys passer’s. As we heard in May, connections about a lower-cost plan continue to take place around the league.

Execs are still discussing the prospect of Shanahan reuniting with Kirk Cousins via 2025 trade, per the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora. This would stand to be a fallback option in the event Purdy negotiations run too hot for San Francisco’s liking, but swapping out a soon-to-be 25-year-old arm for a player who will turn 37 in 2025 would still be a massive risk. Shanahan was Cousins’ first NFL OC, though Jay Gruden was in charge when the now-longtime starter received his first extended QB1 run. The 49ers were prepared to offer their No. 2 overall pick to Washington in 2017 for Cousins, but they committed to Jimmy Garoppolo before his free agency a year later. This reunion seems unlikely, though a GM told La Canfora in a separate piece he does expect the current Falcons starter to be traded next year.

An October report revealed skepticism in some NFL corners the Falcons will sit Michael Penix Jr. for two seasons, calling Cousins’ post-2024 future into question. For now, Cousins remains in Atlanta on a contract that includes a $100MM practical guarantee. Even if the 49ers do not wish to part with Purdy, another offseason of Cousins rumors appears certain for 2025. Here is the latest from the NFC West:

The 49ers have made a few splashy trades before past deadlines, acquiring Garoppolo, Emmanuel Sanders and Chase Young during the Shanahan-John Lynch regime’s run. The eighth-year HC said (via the San Francisco Chronicle’s Eric Branch) no similar possibilities emerged this year. The 49ers did make a minor addition, adding defensive tackle Khalil Davis from the Texans to join fellow Houston-to-San Francisco DT Maliek Collins. Shanahan also classified not being better prepared for injuries at safety a “huge risk,” given Talanoa Hufanga‘s situation, but Tashaun Gipson did rejoin the team via a practice squad deal hours after the deadline. Tearing an ACL in 2023, Hufanga is uncertain to return this season due to a wrist injury.
On the subject of NFC West safeties, Budda Baker looks to have a path to stay in Arizona after his contract expires. Some around the league view the prospect of a third Baker-Cardinals contract as realistic, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes. The perennial Pro Bowler asked out of Arizona during the 2023 offseason and only received incentives to stay. Baker’s contract expires at season’s end, and he will be 29 by free agency, opening the door to a lucrative third contract. The safety market has been hot and cold in recent years, but if the Cardinals want to retain Baker, an upper-crust contract should be required. Now that Arizona has taken steps forward, Baker certainly could fit into the team’s long-term plans. He has expressed interest in sticking around long term.
The Cardinals have been using in-season pickup Chad Ryland at kicker, but Matt Prater‘s injury is not viewed as season-ending. Jonathan Gannon expects (via AZCardinals.com’s Darren Urban) the Cardinals to have their 40-year-old regular kicker back at some point. Prater is down with a left knee injury, which has cost him six games.
Bailing on both their top linebacker options by the midpoint, the Seahawks have some reorganizing to do coming out of their bye. After trading Jerome Baker to the Titans for Ernest Jones, the Hawks waived Tyrel Dodson. Seattle’s free agency plan of Baker and Dodson is out, and Mike Macdonald said (via ESPN.com’s Brady Henderson) rookie Tyrice Knight is the lead candidate to play alongside Jones. Seattle drafted Knight in Round 4; Dodson is heading to Miami via waiver claim.

QB Rumors: Falcons, Daniels, Rams, Titans

October 23rd, 2024 at 3:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Falcons‘ offseason quarterback plan drew considerable scrutiny, and evaluators are skeptical the team will carry it out. Kirk Cousins, who sits third in the NFL with 1,830 passing yards (highlighted by a 500-yard showing against the Buccaneers), is entrenched as Atlanta’s starting QB presently. Though, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes some around the league do not believe the Falcons will sit No. 8 overall pick Michael Penix Jr. for two seasons like they have planned to do. A Penix push toward a 2025 starting job would stand to bring forth Cousins trade rumors.

While nothing concrete has emerged on the Cousins front, this is not the first time execs have predicted a 2025 Falcons QB trade. Some in May predicted the long-rumored Cousins-Kyle Shanahan reunion would commence — if the 49ers become squeamish on a Brock Purdy megadeal. The Falcons have Cousins signed through 2027, though they have a clear out in 2026 — after $90MM of his $100MM guarantee will have been paid out. Penix, however, is already 24. Sitting the southpaw prospect until his age-26 season would not be optimal for the Falcons. Cousins’ 2025 money is fully guaranteed, which will be challenging for a trade. But if Penix’s development moves this situation toward a potential 2025 controversy, expect another offseason of Cousins rumors.

Here is the latest from the QB ranks:

Jayden Daniels did not practice Wednesday, moving Marcus Mariota closer to making his first start since 2022. The rib injury the Commanders QB sustained is not considered serious, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, but it would also not surprise — given the way Daniels winced after trying to return in Week 7 — if Washington exercised caution with the player who has a great chance of being the team’s first long-term QB1 in decades. Mariota played effectively against the Panthers but has not made a start since his controversial Falcons exit in December 2022.
The Titans have not seen their Will Levis development project produce notable strides. Crippling turnovers have played a key role in Tennessee’s 1-5 start, and Levis is now leading with a shoulder injury. Among qualified options, the 2023 second-rounder ranks ahead of only Deshaun Watson in QBR. As such, SI.com’s Albert Breer guesses the franchise will go into 2025 with an objective to find a new quarterback. It is still early, but at this rate, Tennessee giving Levis a third year to prove he can be a locked-in starter would be a reach. Ran Carthon‘s club would be an interesting destination, given the resources allocated to upgrading the offensive talent level around Levis this offseason.
Ditto the Rams, who have Matthew Stafford on a year-to-year arrangement. The Rams have not dangled Stafford in trades this year, separating the 16th-year veteran from Cooper Kupp, but they also did not authorize significant guarantee upgrades — like the QB sought — beyond 2024. As a result, Breer adds the team should be considered in play to draft Stafford’s heir apparent next year. Los Angeles is running out of time to land a successor who would develop behind Stafford, who is signed through 2026. Adding assets to help with that potential mission could be on the team’s mind now, as a Kupp trade would go toward that haul. The Rams and Chiefs discussed Kupp, but L.A.’s asking price — a second-rounder — may be steep for a player who has battled injuries in each of the seasons since his transcendent 2021.
Aaron Rodgers does not appear in jeopardy of missing Week 8, but the Jets quarterback is now on the team’s injury report with three maladies. The 40-year-old starter is battling hamstring, knee and ankle maladies. Rodgers’ hamstring “flared up” against the Steelers, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini tweets.

QB Kirk Cousins Experiencing No Lingering Issues From Achilles

September 14th, 2024 at 11:10am CST by Ben Levine

Kirk Cousins struggled during his Falcons debut, which has naturally led to questions about the QB’s health. Dianna Russini of The Athletic writes that the quarterback’s “leg feels good” following his comeback from an Achilles injury, and there aren’t any “lingering issues from his surgery.”

Russini admits that “there is some rust,” which is probably as expected. Cousins didn’t play in the preseason, meaning his Week 1 start was the first time he took the field since suffering his Achilles injury in Week 8 of last season. Russini adds that the offseason acquisition is still showing signs of “hesitation when it comes to getting hit again at game speed,” something the 13-year veteran will surely shake off.

The other contributing factor to the Falcons’ Week 1 offensive struggles surround new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson. After serving on the Rams coaching staff for years, this is Robinson’s first time calling plays, with one source telling Russini that we should “extend the same understanding” to first-year play callers as we do with first-year quarterbacks.

Things couldn’t have gone much worse for Cousins in his debut. The veteran tossed a pair of interceptions while leading his squad to only one touchdown. The Falcons offense also had a botched snap and several penalties. Cousins is hopeful that he can guide the offense to a more “crisp” performance on Monday night.

“I got to play better, I got to operate better and I was probably at the center of it not being clean and crisp,” Cousins said (via ESPN’s Marc Raimondi). “So, that frustrated me deeply, because I can place such an importance on that, in running the operation clean and crisp. And that’s what has to be better Monday.”

While the Faclons’ sizable offseason commitment to Cousins would indicate they’re willing to stick through early-season hiccups, that probably won’t stop the veteran from looking over his shoulder. The team surprised many by taking Michael Penix Jr. in the first round of the draft, and the front office may have unintentionally set up a QB controversy if Cousins’ struggles continue.

Falcons Hoping To Trade QB Taylor Heinicke?

August 10th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Ben Levine

The Falcons invested heavily in the quarterback position this offseason. As a result, the team may be shopping their lone holdover at the position. As Josh Kendall of The Athletic writes, the Falcons staff is “behaving like it would prefer to get some trade value for Taylor Heinicke” vs. keeping him around as a QB3.

Heinicke had a successful run in Washington between 2021 and 2022, guiding his squad to a 12-11-1 record as a starter. That performance helped earn him a two-year, $14MM deal with his hometown Falcons last offseason, where he was expected to provide former third-round pick Desmond Ridder with some competition. Heinicke ultimately got four starts for Atlanta, going 1-3 while completing a career-low 54.4 percent of his passes.

The Falcons rebooted their QB position this offseason. First, they handed Kirk Cousins a lucrative contract, providing the organization with some veteran consistency at the position for the first time since the Matt Ryan era. The team later surprised many when they also added first-round QB Michael Penix Jr., a decision that definitively locked up a second QB spot on the 53-man roster.

While the team generally carried three QBs in 2023 while taking advantage of the league’s emergency quarterback spot, that might not be the case in 2024. Kendall says the team may prefer to just stash a young option on the practice squad as a QB3, and that means Heinicke (along with current QB4 Nathan Rourke) would likely be on the outside looking in.

While the Falcons would surely prefer to trade their quarterback, it may be easier said than done. Teams won’t be willing to give up a whole lot if they expect the Falcons to eventually cut Heinicke, and any QB-needy squads may just prefer to take their chances in a post-preseason bidding war. On the flip side, Heinicke doesn’t necessarily break the bank with his $4.5MM cap hit, and his starting experience could be valuable for teams seeking a dependable QB2. All the Falcons need is one suitor, but the team shouldn’t expect more than a late-round swap for the 31-year-old.

Arthur Blank: Falcons Did Not Plan To Pick First-Round QB

July 31st, 2024 at 10:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Falcons adding Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8 became easily this draft’s most discussed decision. Giving Kirk Cousins a $100MM practical guarantee and then turning to Round 1 to add a successor represents a free agency-era zag, and Arthur Blank indicated this was not necessarily the team’s pre-draft plan.

Blank said Cousins was informed pre-draft the Falcons were planning to select a quarterback, but the longtime owner noted the plan was not to pick a passer eighth overall. Grades on Penix (and a lukewarm view of the 2025 and ’26 QB classes, as early as it is regarding those future crops) led to the team pulling the trigger, and Raheem Morris said in April the team informed Cousins of that pick minutes before it was made. The team’s decision left Cousins “stunned.”

“I think (Cousins) was surprised as many people were and frankly we were,” Blank said of Penix being available at No. 8, via The Athletic’s Josh Kendall (subscription required). “Our plan was not to pick a quarterback at No. 8, but the grades our coaching staff had on Penix and him being available at No. 8 it turned out that that’s what happened.”

“We made it clear to Kirk that we probably were going to draft a quarterback in this draft, and it turned out that Michael Penix, who our coaching staff and personnel department graded extraordinarily high, they viewed him as a tremendous player, (was available),”

This is an unusual account of the Falcons’ draft plan, as the uproar about Penix going to Atlanta stemmed from the Washington prospect going earlier than expected (and to a team that had just given a QB a four-year, $180MM deal). It would be odd if Cousins was surprised by Penix remaining on the board at No. 8, given that questions about the left-hander had him at least dropping into the teens. The Raiders, at No. 13, were a popular Penix spot in mock drafts. Several teams placed a second-round grade on Penix, though a number of coaches were high on him. After the Falcons surprisingly made a move for one of the six first-round-level QBs, the Broncos shut down any effort to trade down from No. 12 in fear the Raiders would then draft Bo Nix.

The Falcons’ move to nab Penix created a running storyline. Cousins declined to answer whether he would have signed with the Falcons had he known they would have chosen Penix. While the veteran may still have done so due to the $100MM guarantee Atlanta was willing to authorize, this will be a closely monitored situation for as long as the two passers are on the roster. Unsurprisingly, Blank’s view of recent Falcons QB situations prompted the aggressive offseason at the position.

“We have seen that movie where we didn’t have a franchise quarterback, and we didn’t want to repeat that again,” Blank said. “I certainly didn’t.”

Blank and the Falcons have certainly shifted course. A year ago, the owner was eager to build around Desmond Ridder’s rookie contract. Blank had explained why the Falcons, who were close to acquiring Deshaun Watson in 2022, joined the rest of the NFL in not pursuing Lamar Jackson after the Ravens QB’s trade request surfaced. The Falcons built their 2023 offseason around Ridder, naming him the former third-rounder the starter months before training camp. After the team benched Ridder on multiple occasions last season, it moved him to Arizona for Rondale Moore.

The Falcons are back in the franchise-QB contract business, with Cousins — barring a trade — locked in for at least two seasons. The longtime Vikings starter, who recently received full clearance, is coming off an Achilles tear ahead of his age-36 season. Penix is already 24, separating this plan from the Packers’ Aaron Rodgers-to-Jordan Love succession; Love was 21 when Green Bay traded up for him.

This decision obviously cut into Atlanta’s ability to build a team around Cousins, as efforts to trade back into Round 1 for a pass rusher did not succeed. But the Falcons do now have a long-term plan in place at the game’s premier position. Rumors will undoubtedly persist about the team’s QB situation, but for now, no question exists as to which one is the starter.

“Kirk Cousins is our franchise quarterback. He is our starting quarterback and he seems to be doing great from a medical standpoint,” Blank said. “… But I know age does kind of creep up. I can speak for myself personally on that. We also know that there will be a point where we will need a transition, and we want to do that smoothly.

“I’m very sensitive on behalf of our fan base on not having a period of time post-Kirk Cousins to have a gap again between having that kind of franchise quarterback and being in the spin cycle and not being able to get out.”

Blank said he was closely involved in the Falcons’ pre-draft process but reminded (via Kendall) Terry Fontenot and the team’s personnel staff have the final say and made the ultimate call. That choice will likely determine the GM’s future in Atlanta, as the team is riding a three-season streak of 7-10 records.

“They don’t have to clear (picks) with me,” Blank said. “They just have to make me aware of what is going on. I don’t like surprises. They know that, but it’s not up to me to make those decisions. It’s up to them and for me to understand the logic behind it.”

Vikings Wanted Kirk Cousins To Stay As Bridge; Veteran Viewed Minnesota First-Round QB Pick As Unlikely

July 31st, 2024 at 5:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

After two long-term contracts came during Rick Spielman‘s final years as Vikings GM, Kirk Cousins received bridge treatment under Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. The new Falcons QB had sought a team more committed to him, though he has since said the Vikings were more likely than not to put off their long-term need for another year had he stayed.

Minnesota did not go near Atlanta’s four-year, $180MM offer ($100MM in practical guarantees), and Cousins said during an appearance on The Athletic’s Scoop City podcast with Dianna Russini and Chase Daniel had he agreed to stay it would have been through one-year contracts while the team aimed to determine his successor (subscription required).

Cousins said Kevin O’Connell told him if he were to re-sign it would be unlikely the Vikings would draft his heir apparent this year. While Cousins stopped short of confirming O’Connell slammed the door on such a move, it is rather interesting he still ended up in a situation where a successor arrived in Round 1. The Falcons’ Michael Penix Jr. pick stands to put a clock on Cousins’ Atlanta stay, while the Vikings have Sam Darnold in place as the bridge to J.J. McCarthy, chosen two picks after Penix.

“I don’t think they were ready to go there yet in March,” Cousins said on the Vikings’ interest in drafting a first-round QB. “I think the reality is just that they wanted to give themselves that flexibility. And I remember Kevin’s words, which I’m not going to hold them to, were, ‘Hey, if we sign you back, I would think it’s very unlikely that we would draft somebody.’ It was something to that effect. But I also know in the league things change.”

Cousins’ comments contradict a recent report from ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert, who indicates O’Connell, Adofo-Mensah and ownership wanted the soon-to-be 36-year-old passer to stay — but as a bridge to a rookie who would be drafted in 2024. Neither Adofo-Mensah nor O’Connell wanted the to-be-determined rookie to play immediately, Seifert adds, though convincing Cousins — given the value he carried as a free agent — to stay on a short-term arrangement would have been quite difficult. The Falcons bringing big money to the table made it nearly impossible, as the sides battled over guarantees during the 2023 offseason.

The 13th-year veteran said he would have been more open to a bridge plan in Minnesota if that were his only option; the Falcons ensured that would not be the case. The Vikings did memorably join the Patriots in checking in on Justin Herbert, being quickly turned down by the Chargers’ new regime. The team zeroed in on a rookie soon after, obtaining a second first-round pick from the Texans; though, that became used to trade up for Dallas Turner at No. 17. O’Connell, per Seifert, informed Cousins the team would explore this deep QB class with an aim to use its highest draft slot in a decade (11th) to find its next starter.

Adofo-Mensah said before the draft the team would be comfortable with multiple options in this year’s class, but McCarthy — viewed as a Minnesota target pre-draft — impressed O’Connell at the Michigan product’s private workout. Although it seemed like the Vikings traded up from No. 11 to No. 10 to prevent the Broncos from doing the same, Seifert adds Minnesota was confident Denver would draft Bo Nix.

As for who will end up starting in Week 1, Seifert indicates the Vikings informed Darnold before the draft he would likely get the call. It should be expected McCarthy will take the reins at some point this season, but O’Connell was also in Washington when the team rushed Dwayne Haskins

“Those things [O’Connell] talked about are the reason why I have so much faith in him,” Adofo-Mensah said, via Seifert. “To take a mold-and-play like [McCarthy] with talent and traits that are as high-end as anybody, and mold him into that player we want him to be. A lot of times when we go back over history and we say, ‘These quarterbacks have missed.’ There’s a lot of hands that are dirty in that regard, and we’re going to make sure that our hands are clean and give him the best opportunity he can to be the best player he can be in this offense.”

Darnold will receive the bulk of the first-team reps during training camp, O’Connell said, though McCarthy will also receive select reps with the starters. The seventh-year vet is still the more likely Week 1 QB, per the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling. As could be expected, O’Connell does not have a range for when McCarthy will replace Darnold — assuming the veteran is indeed the Week 1 starter. The Vikings do have a Week 6 bye, however, representing a potential transition point. Though, Darnold impressing with Minnesota’s talented skill-position corps could lead to a more extended McCarthy apprenticeship.

Falcons’ Kirk Cousins, Grady Jarrett Medically Cleared

July 25th, 2024 at 10:49am CST by Adam La Rose

As the Falcons begin training camp, two of their most important players have received a clean bill of health. Head coach Raheem Morris announced on Thursday that quarterback Kirk Cousins and defensive tackle Grady Jarrett have been cleared to take part in training camp (h/t ESPN’s Marc Raimondi).

The news comes as little surprise given the team’s recovery expectations for both players. Jarrett hoped to be back to 100% in time for the start of camp, and that has proven to be the case. The two-time Pro Bowler was limited to eight games last season due to an ACL tear suffered on the same day Cousins’ campaign was cut short by a torn Achilles.

The latter’s rehab has been a key storyline throughout the offseason as he prepares for his debut Atlanta campaign. Cousins said earlier this month he intended to be back at full strength no later than August 1, so today’s update is an encouraging sign. It has long been expected the Falcons would take a cautious approach with the 35-year-old’s practice workload as he continues to rehab, but he will have not share time with the starting offense this summer.

Morris said (via Josh Kendall of The Athletic) Cousins will receive all of Atlanta’s first-team reps during training camp. That will leave first-round rookie Michael Penix Jr. and incumbent Taylor Heinicke to split time with the team’s backups. Cousins has already been assured of the starting gig in spite of Penix’s draft status, leaving him free to focus on his transition to Atlanta at the start of his four-year, $160MM pact. Penix, meanwhile, will aim to lock down the QB2 role over the coming weeks.

The Falcons made a pair of draft investments along the defensive interior this spring, but Jarrett will remain a focal point upon his return to health in 2024. The 31-year-old has recorded multiple sacks seven times in his career, and two years remain on his current contract. He and Cousins will have a full training camp under their belts by the time the campaign starts.

NFL Active Leaders In Career Earnings

July 13th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Ben Levine

Kirk Cousins‘ four-year, $180MM deal with the Falcons this season vaulted him up the list of active career earners. This was by virtue of his $50MM signing bonus, adding to the more than $231MM he earned from the Commanders and (mostly) the Vikings throughout his career. Even under the worst-case scenario, Cousins will still see at least another $50MM come his way via his contract with Atlanta, which would push his career earnings north of $331MM.

While the soon-to-be 36-year-old Cousins will surely see a significant portion of the $80MM worth of unguaranteed money on his contract, he’ll still be hard pressed to catch Aaron Rodgers on the career-earnings list. Rodgers earned more than $306MM during his long tenure in Green Bay, and he’s already made close to $37MM during his one season in New York (mostly via the $35MM signing bonus on his reworked pact).

With at least $40MM of additional guarantees coming his way from the Jets, Rodgers will continue to grow his lead as the highest-earning NFL player of all time. Both Rodgers and Matthew Stafford were able to leap Tom Brady among the NFL’s highest all-time earners over the past year.

With all that said, we’ve listed the 25 active players who have earned the most money in their NFL careers (h/t to OverTheCap.com). While this list is up to date, it doesn’t account for soon-to-realized salaries for the 2024 campaign. This list is also solely focused on NFL cash and does not include off-the-field earnings:

QB Aaron Rodgers: $343MM
QB Matthew Stafford: $328MM
QB Russell Wilson: $305MM
QB Kirk Cousins: $281MM
QB Jared Goff: $234MM
LB Von Miller: $179MM
QB Joe Flacco: $177MM
OT Trent Williams: $171MM
QB Derek Carr: $165MM
LB Khalil Mack: $162MM
QB Dak Prescott: $161MM
DL Aaron Donald: $157MM
QB Jimmy Garoppolo: $150MM
DE Calais Campbell: $143MM
QB Deshaun Watson: $142MM
QB Patrick Mahomes: $136MM
DE Joey Bosa: $134MM
DL Leonard Williams: $134MM
WR Mike Evans: $132MM
QB Carson Wentz: $130MM
WR DeAndre Hopkins: $128MM
WR Stefon Diggs: $126MM
DE Cameron Jordan: $126MM
OT Lane Johnson: $121MM
DT Chris Jones: $120MM

Latest On Falcons QB Kirk Cousins

July 11th, 2024 at 1:58pm CST by Adam La Rose

Much of the Falcons’ offseason quarterback approach has been dominated by the team’s decision to use a first-round pick on Michael Penix Jr. despite signing Kirk Cousins in free agency. The latter’s rehab from a torn Achilles remains a key storyline for the team, however.

Cousins has provided encouraging updates throughout the offseason, and he remains on track to be at 100% with plenty of time to spare before Week 1. The 35-year-old took part in OTAs and minicamp, although in the absence of padded practices those events offer a limited opportunity to evaluate players’ true recovery progress. A target in advance of the preseason has emerged regarding when Cousins aims to be back to full strength.

The four-time Pro Bowler hopes to be recovered by August 1, as detailed by D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Cousins and the Falcons will no doubt proceed with caution once training camp opens later this month, and team and player have plenty of time to establish a training camp regimen. With Penix destined to begin his career as Cousins’ understudy, the latter should have first-team reps to himself when he is on the field during camp. Cousins is also interested in seeing preseason action, however.

“It feels like a long ways away,” the Michigan State product said. “But I think it’s always a great test to evaluate where we are as an offense, as a system. I would love to get in and play [in the preseason] if we can. We’ll have to see as we get there where we are. But, you know, it would be great to get out there and kind of have that full dress rehearsal.”

Pending how head coach Raheem Morris and the Falcons’ staff view Cousins’ progress, the team’s other signal-callers remain likely to see most (if not all) of the work during the preseason. Starters at many positions – including quarterback, especially in the case of veterans – rarely see playing time during exhibition games these days given the risk of injury. Cousins could use limited preseason action as a means of confirming his return to full health once he reaches that point during the summer, however.

Atlanta made a four-year investment in Cousins which includes $100MM in guarantees. The team’s financial commitment – not to mention the violation of the league’s tampering policies which took place after an agreement had been reached – demonstrates their willingness to improve from the Desmond Ridder–Taylor Heinicke setup under center. The latter member of that tandem is still in the fold, and he is likely to see preseason action this summer. It will be interesting to see if Cousins joins him in that respect.

Justin Jefferson Viewed Contract Situation Impacting Kirk Cousins’ Free Agency

July 10th, 2024 at 10:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

Kirk Cousins has said he viewed the Vikings as using a year-by-year approach at quarterback during the latter part of his Minnesota run. The Vikings passed on extending Cousins in 2023 and then did not come especially close to the Falcons’ offer in March.

A move to Sam Darnold or J.J. McCarthy come Week 1 will mark a change for Minnesota, which has used Cousins as its starting quarterback to open each of the past six seasons. Cousins had said on many occasions he wanted to stay with the Vikings, but those comments died down this offseason. Falcons rumors emerged in early March and did not slow down, leading to the 13th-year QB’s four-year, $180MM deal — one that features a $100MM practical guarantee.

The Vikings soon gave Darnold a one-year, $10MM deal and focused on a landmark Justin Jefferson extension. Given the money Cousins commanded from the Falcons, the Vikes — after already handing T.J. Hockenson a market-setting extension — would have experienced a difficult time extending Jefferson after re-signing their six-year passer. Jefferson knew this would factor into the Cousins conversation.

“I always knew that Kirk was going to do whatever he needs to do for his businesses-wise,” Jefferson said during an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show (video link), “and I just knew that everything just wasn’t the way he wanted it to be here, especially just with having to pay me and having to pay so many other different guys.

“I feel like he just wanted a new start, a new opportunity to start with Atlanta and a clean slate, and I’m not mad at him at all for that. I’m grateful for what he has brought to me and the things that we have accomplished together.”

Via his practical guarantee, Cousins is on track to move his career earnings past $330MM. The former Washington fourth-rounder is certainly one of the shrewdest NFLers of his era and probably any era. Cousins maximized his value six years ago, maneuvering out of Washington after two franchise tags en route to a fully guaranteed $84MM Vikings contract. That three-year deal gave Cousins the upper hand in his ensuing negotiations with the team, leading to player-friendly extensions in 2020 and 2022. Guarantees held up the parties in 2023, and the Kwesi Adofo-Mensah-led front office let the veteran starter walk this year.

Jefferson signed a monster extension in June, committing to the Vikings on a four-year, $140MM deal that includes a whopping $110MM guaranteed. Both Jefferson’s guarantee and guarantee at signing ($88.7MM) shattered wide receiver records. Although the Vikings paid Jefferson despite a $28.5MM Cousins dead money hit due to void years, rivaling the Falcons’ offer and paying Jefferson would have been difficult. Jefferson’s $35MM-per-year extension will overlap with McCarthy’s rookie contract.

“At the end of the day, it’s a business and you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do for yourself and for your family, and I clearly understand that. But it’s on to the next,” Jefferson said. “It doesn’t really matter what quarterback it is in my eyes. I’m always going to try to make the best of the opportunity. I’m always going to try to be the quarterback’s friend and make his job a lot easier. It doesn’t matter if it was Kirk or if it’s Sam or if it’s J.J. I’m going to make it as easy as possible for him.”

Darnold will work with the starters to begin training camp, but the seventh-year veteran will eventually face a challenge from the No. 10 overall draftee. Cousins, 36 in August, now teams with two former top-10 skill-position draftees on rookie deals (Drake London, Kyle Pitts), and the Falcons brought in Darnell Mooney on a midlevel pact (three years, $39MM). Though, it is certainly possible that the Falcons pivot to first-rounder Michael Penix Jr. by the time those two are on veteran deals — if those extensions come to fruition in Atlanta.

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