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Suitors Emerging For Chiefs’ L’Jarius Sneed

March 10th, 2024 at 9:41pm CST by Adam La Rose

MARCH 10: Add the Dolphins to the list of Sneed interested parties. Miami is not in good cap shape and may well lose both Christian Wilkins and Robert Hunt in free agency. But with the team cutting Xavien Howard, cornerback help will be sought. The Dolphins are believed to have looked into the prospect of acquiring Sneed, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes.

MARCH 6: As expected, the Chiefs were among the teams which applied the franchise tag before Tuesday’s deadline, keeping L’Jarius Sneed off the free agent market in the process. The standout corner is far from certain to remain in Kansas City, though, as a tag-and-trade maneuver is on the table.

Sneed has served as a full-time starter for nearly his entire Chiefs tenure (70 regular and postseason games), developing into a key member of the team’s vaunted secondary. The tag will cost $19.8MM in 2024, though, using up significant cap space on a team already needing a new deal for Chris Jones. The latter is the defending champions’ priority, and a re-up will not come cheaply. A long-term Sneed pact could also approach or reach the $20MM-per-year-mark his one-year tender is valued at.

Knowing Sneed could very well be on the trade block, Tyler Dragon of USA Today Sports reports seven teams have emerged as interested suitors. That list consists of the Vikings, Colts, Titans, Patriots, Lions, Falcons and Jaguars. Many of those teams are among those set to have the most spending power ahead of free agency and therefore the ones most capable of absorbing Sneed’s cap hit as it stands while working out a lucrative long-term deal.

Of course, teams like Minnesota, Indianapolis and Jacksonville could see sizable changes to their cap situations in the near future. The Vikings have two of the top pending free agents in Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter, and meeting the stated objective of retaining both will use up much of their cap space. The Colts and Jags, meanwhile, used the franchise tag on wideout Michael Pittman Jr. and edge rusher Josh Allen yesterday; long-term deals with either could lower their 2024 cap figures and free up room for an aggressive Sneed pursuit.

The Falcons – presumed to be a strong Cousins suitor – will likely wait until their quarterback addition has been made before authorizing a costly move (in terms of draft capital and finances) like a Sneed acquisition. New England and Tennessee rank second and third in respective cap space as things stand, meaning those teams could outbid other suitors and immediately make a deal for the 27-year-old a priority. Detroit reportedly has cornerback at or near the top of the organization’s offseason to-do list, so a Sneed trade would come as little surprise.

With respect to compensation, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer predicts a second-round pick could be required to convince the Chiefs to green-light a trade. Losing an effective contributor will no doubt induce Kansas City to generate as many bidders as possible and land better draft capital than what a 2025 free agent departure would yield (a third-round compensatory pick the following year). With free agency one week away, it will be interesting to see how much of a market develops for Sneed if the Chiefs move forward with exploring a trade.

Vikings Expect To Hear FA Decision From QB Kirk Cousins Tonight; Trending Towards Free Agency

March 10th, 2024 at 7:36pm CST by Ely Allen

7:36PM: Russini provided another update on the situation, telling us that Minnesota is “having internal conversations about their offer” to Cousins. They are still reportedly waiting to hear from the veteran passer on his decision, but there is a good feeling in the building that Cousins wants to remain a Viking. The prevailing concern is that the structure of the deal will be crucial to the determination of his decision.

6:57PM: We’ve heard lots in the past week or so on the Falcons’ interest in quarterback Kirk Cousins, but it’s all a moot point until his contract with the Vikings voids on Wednesday. In the meantime, the Vikings have not given up on their efforts to keep their quarterback of the last six years in Minnesota. According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the team is expecting to hear Cousins’ decision on whether or not he intends to test free agency tonight.

The Vikings have been working to come to a new agreement since his season-ending injury. Both sides have expressed their interest in extending their time together but talks stalled a bit as Cousins sought certain guarantees into the 2025 season. Time has almost run out, now, with free agency approaching. Tomorrow, teams will have the ability to communicate with free agents, so Cousins’ decision becomes crucial for the intentions of both he and the Vikings.

Also, Wednesday will be a date to watch as it is the day free agency officially opens and Cousins’ contract officially voids, leaving the Vikings with $28.5MM of dead money. The Vikings can avoid that headache with a new extension that allows them to redistribute that money, but if a deal can’t get done, Cousins will hold a $28.5MM cap hit in Minnesota while playing for another team.

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network provided an update as the rumors continue to circulate, saying that, while he and Minnesota remain in communication, Cousins is expected to hit the free agent market tomorrow. Pelissero reiterates Atlanta as a possible destination, throwing in that Denver could also potentially pursue. He claims a new deal for Cousins will likely include over $40MM per year.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network also commented on the ramifications of Cousins decision. The quarterback dominos are starting to fall with news like the re-signing of Baker Mayfield in Tampa Bay coming earlier today. Russini reports that both Minnesota and Atlanta were keeping a close eye on Mayfield’s eventual landing spot as they deal with their own situations. It sounds like Cousins is expected to be the next big domino to fall, with other options like Justin Fields, Sam Darnold, and even Joe Flacco having to wait to see how the market looks when the dust clears.

Latest On Bears’ Quarterback Situation

March 10th, 2024 at 9:17am CST by Ely Allen

MARCH 10: ESPN’s Dan Graziano says the Bears did not find the trade market for Fields that they were hoping for (subscription required). Chicago, however, is not panicking and is willing to allow other quarterback dominos like Cousins and Mayfield to fall. Once some of the top players in the market find new homes or re-sign with their current clubs, there will still be a few QB-needy teams, at which point the interest in Fields should intensify.

While it now seems unlikely that Fields will fetch a second-round pick in a trade, the expectation remains that the Bears will eventually deal him and use the No. 1 pick on Williams.

MARCH 3: The situation of the Bears‘ future at the quarterback position has become quite a loaded topic. The closer we get to the 2024 NFL Draft, the more likely it’s beginning to seem that Chicago is attempting to move current starter Justin Fields as it prepares to move on to potential No. 1 overall draft pick Caleb Williams.

According to Diana Russini of The Athletic, chatter at the NFL scouting combine appeared to be consistent, with most believing that the Bears are moving on from Fields. Barring the team picking up his fifth-year option, 2024 would be the final year on Fields’ rookie contract. Instead of allowing Fields to play out his contract on the bench behind Williams, Chicago seems intent on dealing the 24-year-old and returning some value for a player they would eventually allow to walk in free agency.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler tells us that many in the league see Fields garnering a potential Day 2 pick for his services. A second- or third-round pick may not be the ideal result for a former first-round selection, but it’s better than getting nothing when his rookie deal expires. Fowler names the Falcons, Steelers, Raiders, and Vikings as possible teams of interest in Fields’ acquisition. Atlanta has been repeatedly linked to the young passer lately, with many debating whether or not he is the best fit in a Rams-influenced systems under new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson. Fowler reports the chances as “fairly good” that the Falcons walk away with either Fields, Kirk Cousins, or Baker Mayfield, leaving a larger range of possibilities for what Atlanta is looking for.

The Bears have made the claim that they want to “do right” by Fields by not leaving him in a “gray area.” Still, having shown their intentions, the team doesn’t necessarily have the strongest bargaining position. Russini poses that the team may need other moves to influence the demand for Fields. She quotes an NFC general manager who explained, “When people know you are getting rid of something, they don’t pay as much for it.” If a few veteran quarterbacks that are also available get moved and decrease the number of options for quarterback-needy teams, a bidding war for Fields may ensue. In order for that to occur, a number of big quarterback names would need to get signed well before the draft.

The draft serves as an effective deadline because once the Bears draft Williams, Fields becomes superfluous, and it’s seeming more and more likely that Williams will be the pick come late-April. At one point, that seemed to be in question as there were rumors that the USC quarterback may force a trade in an effort to avoid playing for the Bears. Williams has since backed down from that notion, according to Pete Thamel of ESPN, expressing excitement and intrigue in the prospect of heading to Chicago.

“I’m not pushing any agenda,” Williams said. “At the end of the day, the Bears have the last say. Regardless of how I feel, I’m not pushing an agenda of, ‘Yeah, I want to go,’ or ‘no, I don’t want to go.’ I’m excited for whatever comes.”

Still, Williams expressed a healthy interest in the Commanders, as well. Getting drafted to Washington would send Williams back to the area in which he went to high school at Gonzaga College HS. While he acknowledged that it would be cool to be so familiar with the area, he emphasized that his job is going to be in the facility working on his game.

There was also thought to be some concern about Williams’ draft-ability after some recent comments from his father, Carl. Carl was the one who suggested that his son would get “two shots at the apple,” according to Kalyn Kahler of The Athletic, essentially suggesting that if the situation as a No. 1 overall pick isn’t favorable, Williams could simply return to school with his NIL deals. The quote from Williams’ father made the rounds, seeding concern in some scouting circles.

Since then, though, it seems the concern has subsided. The more he was put under the microscope, the more Carl appeared just to be a heavily involved father who was extremely invested in helping his child achieve the peaks of his career and abilities. When asked about the situation at the NFL scouting combine, Bears general manager Ryan Poles claimed that he has “no concerns about” Carl’s comments, at all.

So, things appear to be falling into place. The Williams-era seems well on its way to being ushered in, and the Fields-domino will need to fall soon as a result. With free agency set to open in a week and a half, the demand for Fields may soon grow. It’s up to Chicago to find the perfect time to pull the trigger if they ultimately decide to deal Fields.

Latest On Kirk Cousins

March 10th, 2024 at 7:43am CST by Adam La Rose

MARCH 10: Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (subscription required) report that while Cousins is indeed the Falcons’ top target, the Vikings are by no means out of the running. The Vikes and Cousins were still negotiating as of the end of the week, and Graziano noted that Cousins and his family like Minnesota, and the fans like him (to say nothing of the presence of star wideout Justin Jefferson and head coach Kevin O’Connell, a well-respected play-caller).

A team source tells Fowler that there is a 50-50 chance the Vikings will re-sign Cousins. Though Atlanta is a major threat here, and though Minnesota will have its financial limits after paying Cousins $185MM over the past six years, a re-up remains a distinct possibility.

MARCH 5: Today marks the franchise tag deadline, but plenty of other questions loom around the NFL with free agency only one week away. Kirk Cousins remains the subject of considerable attention and speculation given his status as the top quarterback set to be available on the open market.

Talks with the Vikings are ongoing, but reports from the weekend suggested Minnesota is preparing to at least let the 35-year-old gauge his value with outside suitors. A number of teams would no doubt show passing interest in the four-time Pro Bowler at a minimum, but the Falcons have increasingly emerged at the forefront of a Cousins pursuit. Further developments continue to point in that direction.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes he has received “very credible indications that Cousins is seriously considering moving his family to Atlanta.” While athletes often own real estate in a number of markets, a step such as this would of course point to a deal with the Falcons being agreed upon. Atlanta is well known as being in position to add at the QB spot, and the team may prefer a contract with Cousins to a trade resulting in the acquisition of Georgia native Justin Fields.

The latter’s future with the Bears will of course represent a major domino in the 2024 offseason as it pertains to quarterbacks. Chicago is expected to deal Fields in a move setting the team up for Caleb Williams being selected first overall in April’s draft. The market for Fields will be complicated by the fact the Bears are willing to move on (presuming that decision is the one ultimately made by GM Ryan Poles) as well as the availability of more established options in Cousins and Baker Mayfield.

Cousins’ Achilles tear ended his sixth Vikings season, one in which he posted strong numbers prior to the injury. Minnesota has remained steadfast in terms of public endorsements of a new agreement, although length and the guarantee structure of any new pact will no doubt be sticking points. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reports neither side has set a final price point for negotiations, which can continue through to the start of the legal tampering period (March 11).

The Vikings do not have an obvious Cousins successor on the roster, and the No. 11 draft slot will keep the team out of reach of the best QB prospects barring a sizable trade-up maneuver. Unless an agreement can be worked out in short order, though, the team could very well be tasked with finding a new starter for the first time since 2018. Should Cousins reach free agency, the Falcons will remain a team to watch closely.

NFL Announces 2024 Compensatory Picks

March 8th, 2024 at 3:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

The NFL has awarded compensatory draft picks for teams in the 2024 draft. Based on an add/subtract formula that covers the 2023 free agency period, comp picks span from Round 3 to Round 7. The higher picks go to the teams that endured the most significant free agent losses.

This year, the NFL awarded 34 comp picks. The comp pick formula assigns picks to franchises who suffered the largest net losses, so teams that signed multiple free agents have a lesser chance of receiving picks. The CBA limits the total compensatory number to 32, per Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com, who notes the Cowboys, Jaguars and Packers qualified for an additional comp pick based on the net loss formula.

The updated NFL format also rewards third-round comp picks to teams that saw a minority assistant coach land a head coaching job or a minority front office exec become a GM. Teams receive two third-round picks for losing an assistant or FO staffer to a top job, but the picks do not come in the same draft. The 49ers’ pipeline here is still flowing and will continue to do so into the 2025 draft, with Ran Carthon landing the Titans’ GM job last year and DeMeco Ryans becoming the Texans’ HC. The Rams collected the first of their two third-rounders for the Falcons’ Raheem Morris hire. The Buccaneers do not receive a comp pick for Dave Canales‘ Panthers move due to the Latino staffer being Tampa Bay’s OC for just one season.

Sorted by round and by team, here are the league’s 2024 compensatory selections.

By round:

Round 3: Jaguars (No. 96 overall), Eagles (No. 97), Rams (No. 98)*, 49ers (No. 99)*

Round 4: 49ers (No. 132), Bills (No. 133), Ravens (No. 134)

Round 5: Saints (No. 167), Packers (No. 168), Saints (No. 169), Eagles (No. 170), Eagles (No. 171), Chiefs (No. 172), Cowboys (No. 173), Saints (No. 174), 49ers (No. 175)

Round 6: Bengals (No. 208), Rams (No. 209), Eagles (No. 210), 49ers (No. 211), Jaguars (No. 212), Rams (No. 213), Bengals (No. 214), 49ers (No. 215), Cowboys (No. 216), Rams (No. 217), Jets (No. 218), Packers (No. 219), Buccaneers (No. 220)

Round 7: Chargers (No. 253), Rams (No. 254), Packers (No. 255), Jets (No. 256), Jets (No. 257)

* = special compensatory selection

By team:

  • Los Angeles Rams: 5
  • San Francisco 49ers: 5
  • Philadelphia Eagles: 4
  • Green Bay Packers: 3
  • New Orleans Saints: 3
  • New York Jets: 3
  • Cincinnati Bengals: 2
  • Dallas Cowboys: 2
  • Jacksonville Jaguars: 2
  • Baltimore Ravens: 1
  • Buffalo Bills: 1
  • Kansas City Chiefs: 1
  • Los Angeles Chargers: 1
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 1

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/6/24

March 6th, 2024 at 8:41pm CST by Ely Allen

Some minor moves during a busy day of major transactions:

Atlanta Falcons

Dallas Cowboys

Kansas City Chiefs

The Falcons were able to avoid tendering Landman by simply signing him to a new one-year contract. The exclusive rights free agent signed with the team as an undrafted free agent in 2022, and after the season-ending injury to starting linebacker Troy Andersen, Landman took full advantage of the opportunity to start, finishing third on the team with 110 total tackles in 14 starts. He returns to Atlanta to fit in amongst Andersen and Kaden Elliss.

FA Notes: Chiefs, Jones, Evans, Titans, Pats, Giants, Panthers, Falcons, Jags, Bucs, Rams

March 6th, 2024 at 1:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

Buzz about the Chiefs re-signing Chris Jones surfaced last week, and while that trail has gone a bit cold, some optimism still exists the defending champions can keep their top defender off the market. Many around the league do not expect Jones to leave Kansas City, per ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler, but they do not anticipate a discount coming to pass. Jones stuck to his guns last year during a holdout that cost him more than $3MM between fines and a missed game check; that would make it rather shocking if he agreed to a team-friendly deal now.

The Chiefs reaching the $27-$28MM-per-year range should help move this close to the finish line, Fowler adds. That said, Jones could probably — given the cap spike — make a run at Aaron Donald‘s $31.7MM AAV standard and the position’s guarantee record (Quinnen Williams‘ $66MM) if he reaches free agency. The Chiefs were not willing to go near the Donald AAV neighborhood during talks last year, and it will surely take a monster offer to keep Jones from testing free agency now.

With the legal tampering period less than a week away, here is the latest free agency news:

  • The Chiefs were also among the teams interested in Mike Evans, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, who details what would have been a big market for the veteran wide receiver. Evans opted to re-sign with the Bucs on a frontloaded deal that included $29MM fully guaranteed. The Falcons, Giants, Jaguars, Panthers, Patriots, Rams and Titans were preparing to see what it could take to lure Evans out of Tampa. High-profile FAs regularly use the Combine to gauge markets before the legal tampering period, and Evans evidently determined this Bucs deal compared favorably to what he could have collected on the market. But with Tee Higgins and Michael Pittman Jr. franchise-tagged, Evans would have been the top WR available. That distinction may now fall to Calvin Ridley.
  • Speaking of the Bucs, they are not ruling out a reunion with Shaquil Barrett at a reduced rate, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com notes. Tampa Bay cut Barrett last week, removing an $18MM-per-year contract from their payroll. Barrett stands to generate interest as a street free agent, but the former Super Bowl standout and NFL single-season sack leader is going into an age-32 season and coming off a 4.5-sack showing in 2023.
  • Darnell Mooney may be one of the players who could benefit from Evans, Pittman and Higgins being off the market. Despite the Bears target failing to eclipse 500 receiving yards in each of the past two years, he posted a 1,000-yard season in 2021 and has been in a low-volume passing offense. Teams figure to check in on the deep threat, and ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler suggests the Chiefs and Titans as potential players. The Chiefs’ receiver woes were well documented last season, and they recently cut Marquez Valdes-Scantling. The Titans beat out the Chiefs for DeAndre Hopkins last year, but he is going into an age-32 season and signed for just one more year. Treylon Burks has also not shown much consistency yet.
  • Barring 11th-hour deals, this year’s safety market will feature Xavier McKinney and Kamren Curl. These two could do quite well without Antoine Winfield Jr. and Kyle Dugger in the mix, with ProFootballNetwork.com’s Adam Caplan noting Curl’s market could come in around $14MM per year. A line of demarcation may emerge after these NFC East starters, with Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline adding a lucrative second wave should not be expected to transpire at this position. This is how the 2023 market played out, with a gulf forming between Jessie Bates and the field. Though, multiple others (Juan Thornhill, Vonn Bell, Donovan Wilson) collected eight-figure guarantees.
  • The Rams have talked terms with Kevin Dotson‘s camp, per GM Les Snead. They expect both he and center Coleman Shelton to hit the market. Dotson delivered a big contract year and should be expected to become one of the top earners on a crowded guard market. The Rams want Shelton back as well.

Falcons Prefer Kirk Cousins To Justin Fields?

March 3rd, 2024 at 11:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

The team most closely tied to a veteran QB upgrade going into free agency, the Falcons appear readier to come out of this offseason with a more experienced passer than Justin Fields.

Although a recent odds update placed the Falcons atop the list for Fields, some around the league believe the Rams-influenced scheme OC Zac Robinson will implement in Atlanta will lead the team toward pass-first options like Kirk Cousins or Baker Mayfield. If the Vikings or Buccaneers cannot keep their starters off the market, the Falcons appear poised to make a run.

Connected already to being interested in both passers, the Falcons indeed have done work on the veterans. The Vikings are “loosely bracing” for Cousins to remain unsigned by the March 11 legal tampering period and test the market, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler indicates. This would open the door for the Falcons to talk to the free agent-to-be, with Fowler adding the team has done plenty of work on Cousins, Fields and Mayfield.

Mayfield has some ties to the new Falcons staff, with Robinson being his position coach during his brief Rams stint and Raheem Morris in place as Los Angeles’ DC at that point. The team has some degree of interest here. Fields is a Georgia native, and while the Falcons passed on the Ohio State product in 2021, some buzz has pointed the Bears QB to his home-state team. As it stands, the Falcons appear in good position to come away with one of these QBs this offseason, per Fowler.

Cousins may be the team’s top target. A Saturday report indicated the Falcons would compete for Cousins, and ESPN’s Dan Graziano takes it a step further by adding the team should be expected to make a strong pursuit of the six-year Vikings starter if he is unsigned by the tampering period. The Vikings and Cousins are still talking, but no Minnesota offer has satisfied the 35-year-old QB yet. The Vikings and Cousins have come to terms on three contracts — in 2018, 2020 and 2022 — but could not agree on a fourth deal last year. Guarantees stood as the sticking point there, and the Vikings are in crunch time with the rehabbing passer now.

Minnesota failing to reach an agreement with Cousins by the start of the 2024 league year (March 13) would bring $28.5MM in dead money onto its 2024 cap. Void years added as part of last year’s restructure will lead to that outcome. The Vikings ate some void years-driven dead money for losing Dalvin Tomlinson last year, but the Cousins figure would obviously bring more trouble by comparison.

Fields may well be taking a backseat to Cousins for Atlanta, per Graziano. This would be a pricier proposition for the Falcons, as Cousins — he of $231MM-plus in career earnings — is quite adept at maximizing his value. Fields also can be kept on a rookie salary this season, as his fifth-year option number — a decision due in May — would affect 2025. But Cousins has certainly been the more dependable passer. Though, if alternate invites are excluded, the ex-Washington draftee has one career Pro Bowl nod. Fields is 11 years younger, at 24, but has not shown himself to be a stable option as a passer just yet.

The Falcons are eager to upgrade on Desmond Ridder, and two years after widely believed to have finished second for Deshaun Watson, the team appears prepared to spend to acquire such help. One of the above-referenced trio should probably be expected to become Atlanta’s starter next season. Which one will end up in Georgia?

Falcons Extend C Ryan Neuzil

March 3rd, 2024 at 5:39pm CST by Ely Allen

The Falcons were able to avoid tendering exclusive rights free agent Ryan Neuzil today, signing the backup center to a one-year extension, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. The third-year lineman will remain in Atlanta for the 2024 season.

Neuzil signed with the Falcons as an undrafted free agent out of Appalachian State in 2021. After spending his rookie year on the practice squad, Neuzil made his NFL debut in Week 9 of his sophomore season, getting called up as a practice squad elevation. He would appear in every game for the rest of the 2022 season, appearing only on special teams, except for five offensive snaps in the team’s regular season finale.

At the opening of this most recent season, injuries to starting guard and primary backup center Matt Hennessy opened the door for Neuzil to climb the depth chart as the new top option to back up starter Drew Dalman. Neuzil entered the year playing the same special teams role in which he ended 2022. He earned his first career start in Week 6, though only as a technicality as he was an extra lineman on the first play of the game and only played five offensive snaps.

Later in the season, though, Dalman would be forced to miss three games late in the season. Neuzil finally got the opportunity to start a full game at center and even earned snaps on the line during games in which he didn’t start. Ending the season with four starts under his belt left a strong impression for Neuzil heading into the offseason as an exclusive rights free agent.

After establishing himself as a dependable backup on the interior of the offensive line, Neuzil earned this new deal. He’ll likely come into the 2024 season as the primary backup for Dalman and a depth piece on the interior of the offensive line.

Falcons To Pursue Kirk Cousins?

March 2nd, 2024 at 10:33pm CST by Ben Levine

The Falcons have already been connected to a couple of available QBs, including Justin Fields and (most recently) Baker Mayfield. There could now be another big-name quarterback to add to the list. Dianna Russini of The Athletic expects the Falcons to “compete” for Kirk Cousins‘ services.

[RELATED: Falcons Interested In Baker Mayfield?]

According to Russini, the Falcons believe Cousins is the type of quarterback who can elevate the organization from “fringe playoff team to a contender.” Further, Falcons head coach Raheem Morris is familiar with Cousins based on their time together in Washington.

Quarterbacks coach Zac Robinson has never worked alongside Cousins, but he does come from the same Sean McVay tree as Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell. Russini cites that “seamless transition” as a reason why Cousins would make sense for Atlanta.

Despite coming off a torn Achilles, Cousins is expected to be the first QB domino to fall this offseason. A number of teams have been loosely connected to the veteran, but the majority of reports have focused on a return to Minnesota. Cousins has spent the past six seasons with the Vikings, guiding the team to winning records in three of those campaigns. However, the veteran only has a single playoff win to show for his efforts, and his playoff deficiencies will likely be reflected in his next contract.

Cousins has already earned $231MM in his career, including an initial contract with the Vikings (three years, $84MM) that was fully guaranteed. Cousins didn’t get the same kind of guarantees on his subsequent contracts in 2020 (two years, $66MM) and 2022 (one year, $35MM), but his camp has shown an ability to garner significant contracts throughout his career.

Those guarantees could end up being relevant during this year’s free agency. We previously heard that the Vikings were uncomfortable with some of the guarantee specifics during extension talks with the quarterback, resulting in talks ultimately breaking down. The Vikings have some incentive to re-sign Cousins as soon as possible, as the organization will be left with a $28.5MM dead-money charge if he isn’t re-signed by the start of the 2024 league year (3pm CT March 13). Considering the suitors that are starting to line up, Cousins may prefer to test the waters instead of immediately re-upping.

The Falcons will reportedly be active in looking for an upgrade on Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke. The organization is currently armed with more than $25MM in cap space, and general manager Terry Fontenot has made it clear that he’ll consider every option as he looks to improve the position.

“That’s a top priority for us this offseason,” Fontenot recently said. “We are not going to close any doors. Be it trades, free agency [or] the draft. We’ll make sure we keep an open mind there. We’ll attack it and make sure that we get it right.”

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