Kirk Cousins seems to be leaning toward signing with the Atlanta Falcons, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
Florio was not able to get into specifics, but he said that he has “credible indications” that Cousins is “seriously considering” a move to Atlanta, which means he is likely planning on joining the Falcons.
Atlanta has been viewed as one of the biggest threats to steal Cousins away from the Minnesota Vikings, and it looks like it may be in the process of happening.
It should also be noted that Cousins’ wife, Julie, grew up in Alpharetta, Ga., and her parents still live there. So Cousins also has personal reasons to choose the Falcons.
The general expectation several months ago was that Cousins would re-sign with the Vikings, but there seems to be a gap between the two sides in terms of his worth.
Minnesota has long maintained that it would like to re-sign Cousins, but not at the expense of its long-term financial flexibility. It’s looking more and more like the differences between Cousins and the Vikings may result in the veteran taking his talents elsewhere. Like Georgia.
Cousins was limited to eight games this past season as a result of a torn Achilles. During his time on the field, he was brilliant, throwing for 2,331 yards, 18 touchdowns and five interceptions.
The 35-year-old—who will be 36 at the start of next season—has spent the last six years of his career with the Vikings, making three Pro Bowl appearances along the way.
In spite of his regular-season success in Minnesota, Cousins has failed to take the Vikings past the Divisional Round of the playoffs, although it’s hard to pin that blame on Cousins.
The Falcons spent 2023 rolling out Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke under center, with neither quarterback inspiring any confidence moving forward.
Atlanta has expressed urgency to address the signal-caller position, and it may be pulling out all the stops to try and sign Kirk Cousins.
We’ll see what happens when free agency opens next week.
More must-reads: