The Atlanta Falcons agreed to a four-year contract with Kirk Cousins on Monday, adding a proven starting quarterback to their offensive arsenal. Cousins’ agent, Mike McCartney, confirmed the move on social media on Monday. According to ESPN, the deal is worth $180 million, $100 million of which is guaranteed.
Elsewhere, the Philadelphia Eagles agreed to terms with former New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley and New York Jets defensive end Bryce Huff, according to multiple reports. Barkley will sign a three-year deal with $26 million guaranteed for a total of $37.75 million, while Huff signed a three-year deal worth $51 million, sources said. . Free agents cannot officially sign with a new team until Wednesday. Barkley ran for 962 yards and six touchdowns in 14 carries last season and had 41 catches, four of which were touchdowns. Huff totaled 17.5 sacks, 65 tackles for loss and one forced fumble in four seasons with the Jets.
The Falcons have been stockpiling talent on offense for years, including tight end Kyle Pitts, running back Bejan Robinson and wide receiver Derek London, all top-10 draft picks. But they have yet to find a competent replacement for Matt Ryan, who left the team after the 2021 season. While Cousins ranks in the top half of NFL quarterbacks, he is 35 years old and is coming off a torn Achilles tendon that ended his season with the Minnesota Vikings in 2023. Cousins appeared in eight games with the Vikings before getting injured and had a passer rating of 103.8, which was the third-best team in the league and the Falcons were losing at quarterback Desmond. · Struggling under Reed and Tyler Heinicke. Falcons owner Arthur Blank called his quarterback room “flawed” last season, and few fans would disagree.
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The epitome of a late bloomer, Cousins has largely enjoyed the most effective performance of his career since the Vikings hired coach Kevin O’Connell in 2022.
Regardless of the outcome of the negotiations, though, the Vikings need a succession plan, given Cousins’ age and their commitment to a “competitive rebuild,” as general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has said multiple times. as mentioned.
“After important and positive conversations with Kirk and his representatives, we have been unable to reach agreement on a contract that is consistent with Kirk and the Minnesota Vikings’ short- and long-term vision,” Adofo-Mensah said in a statement. Unanimous.” “Kirk holds a special place in Vikings history, and we thank him for his leadership and contributions to the team and the Minneapolis-St. Paul community over the past six seasons. We wish him, his wife All the best for Julie and their kids. Our approach to free agency always includes multiple layers of contingencies regarding the quarterback position. We are moving forward with plans that will allow us to continue to build a roster that can compete for a championship.”
The Vikings would love to continue working with Cousins, but given their salary cap situation and the recent improvement and prospects of their NFC North rivals, they have to put limits on how much they can guarantee and for how long.
As much as Cousins would love to finish his career in Minnesota, he’s made it clear he wants more attention after a banner year.
“It’s not about the dollar, it’s about what the dollar represents,” Cousins told reporters in January.
Not only was Cousins a standout player on the field, going from college rookie to fourth-round draft pick and currently ranking 24th on the NFL’s all-time list of career passing yards (39,471 yards), but he also mastered the business aspects of the game under McCartney’s guidance.
After back-to-back starts with Washington in 2016 and 2017, Cousins became a rare starting quarterback in free agency in 2018 when the Vikings had salary cap space after the NFC Championship Game and a desperate need at the position. . When he signed for $84 million, he received the first fully guaranteed multi-year contract for a quarterback in league history. Over the past eight seasons, Cousins has earned more than $228 million. After the 2019 season, he won only one playoff game. With $100 million in guaranteed money from the Falcons, his career earnings will be just under $330 million, ranking fourth among NFL players and trailing only Tom Brady by $3 million.
If Cousins remains with the Vikings during the trade period, his career earnings will reach $411 million, the highest number in league history.
The Vikings restructured Cousins’ contract a year ago but didn’t give him any new money, leaving the remainder of his signing bonus in 2024 if they don’t reach an extension before the new league year officially begins Wednesday afternoon. $28.5 million salary cap hit. .
Elsewhere in the NFL on Monday, Russell Wilson agreed to a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback agreed to a minimum-value veteran contract.
