The Falcons introduced the new face of their franchise on Wednesday night, as Kirk Cousins met with the media for the first time since signing his new deal.
Many news outlets are calling it the move of the offseason, as Cousins was undoubtedly the most valuable free agent available at any position, and he fills the Falcons most glaring need. However, there are some that aren’t as keen about guaranteeing $100 million to a soon to be 36-year-old quarterback that is coming off a torn Achilles.
That’s a valid concern, but the Falcons believe he’ll be ready to rock come Week 1, and Cousins is optimistic he’ll be back well before then.
“I’m optimistic that I can be full speed at practice before we break for the summer – and that’s kind of the goal I’ve set for myself – but we do have a long runway,” Cousins said, via the team’s website. “What I’ve been told, going back to when I first injured it, was that you don’t rush it, you let time do its thing, and it’s going to take time to fully heal that tissue. But as a competitor, you want to get back as fast as you can. Certainly, I’m trying to do that.”
Kirk Cousins expanded on the topic by saying he doesn’t believe dropping back and throwing the football will be an issue at all when he returns, but that there could be some problems when he’s asked to leave the pocket.
“I do think that I can take drops. I can play the quarterback position, if you will, throwing the football,” Cousins said. “I think the minute I would have to leave the pocket is where you would say, ‘Yeah, he’s still recovering from an Achilles.’ But taking drops, making throws, that’s really no problem at this point.”
For most athletes, an Achilles injury can be devastating, sometimes even career ending. But for Kirk Cousins, it’s a lot less worrisome. This is a quarterback known for his pocket presence. He’s a statue behind the line of scrimmage, totaling fewer than 1,000 rushing yards over his 12-year career.
Even before the injury, if Kirk Cousins was scrambling out of the pocket, the play was likely already dead. That’s not his strong suit. He wants to sit behind the line of scrimmage and deliver the ball to his receivers on time like a point guard. The Achilles isn’t going to affect his ability to do that, so there’s little reason to believe Cousins can’t play at a similar level to the one he was playing at before the injury with the Vikings.
—
Photo: John Byrum/Icon Sportswire
You must log in to post a comment.