The Falcons put their sights on Kirk Cousins, never wavering in their pursuit. He was their top target from the onset of free agency, and according to multiple reports, Terry Fontenot and Raheem Morris were ready to do just about whatever it took to make sure he was under center in Atlanta for the next several years.
Most NFL analysts and news outlets have looked upon the signing positively. Some have even declared it the move of the offseason, turning the Falcons from an oft-forgotten franchise to a legitimate contender in a wide open NFC. But not everybody is fond of the move.
Dakota Randall of Pro Football Network recently broke down his best and worst contracts of NFL free agency thus far, and Cousins fell in the worst category.
QB Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons
Terms: Four years, $180 million with $100 million guaranteed
We went back and forth on this. On one hand, signing Kirk Cousins might be all it takes for the Falcons to become favorites in the NFC South. Atlanta was already loaded with talent on both sides of the ball, and a quarterback was the missing piece.
But this feels like a desperation play. Cousins is coming off a torn Achilles and will turn 36 in August. He also isn’t that good and has a history of coming up short in the playoffs.
The Falcons would’ve been better off making an aggressive play for a quarterback in the draft. We even could argue that Wilson would’ve been the better option.
This is a fun signing for the Falcons, but it’s very risky.
I can understand why some aren’t as warm to the idea of a 36-year-old quarterback coming off a torn Achilles injury, especially when it cost you $180 million.
However, this is really a two-year deal. The Falcons can get out of it with minimal damage after the second season, which reduces that risk. But the rest of this excerpt is just ludicrous.
Kirk Cousins absolutely makes the Falcons the favorites to win the NFC South, just go ahead and look at the odds according to Vegas. They are a clear frontrunner in the division, something they haven’t been in years. Also, saying Cousins “isn’t that good,” is insanity. He was playing like a top five quarterback in football before the injury and has aged like a fine wine.
Cousins was on pace to throw for 5,000 yards and 40 touchdowns through eight games last season. Before that, he averaged over 4,000 yards and over 30 touchdown passes from 2018-2022. Sure, the playoff success never came to fruition in Minnesota, but saying some nonsense like “he isn’t that good” is factually incorrect. Cousins has been one of the most consistently good quarterbacks in the league over the last decade, and his injury history, outside of the torn Achilles, is non-existent.
Lastly, a move up the board in the draft doesn’t look like it was ever a possibility. The Bears are officially taking a quarterback with the first pick, and most expect the Commanders and Patriots to do the same. Unless the Falcons LOVED J.J. McCarthy or wanted to punt on yet another season by signing a stopgap option like Sam Darnold, Kirk Cousins was by far the best option.
The Falcons recognized this and made an aggressive play. Some might take that as desperation, but I would argue they took a look around the NFC and saw an opportunity. If it works, they’ll be contending in the playoffs. If it doesn’t, they aren’t in a much different position than they would have been had they gone the stopgap route.
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Photo: John Byrum/Icon Sportswire
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