Raheem Morris explains why Kirk Cousins was Falcons QB target

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NFL: OCT 29 Vikings at Packers

The Falcons came into the offseason with the need to fill the most important roles in the NFL.

Yes, they had to hire a head coach and subsequent offensive coordinator, the latter of which could be argued to be more important, but Atlanta also had to find a quarterback along with filling several other premium positions.

Eventually, we ended up with a Raheem Morris, Zac Robinson, and Kirk Cousins marriage. All things considered, it was one of the best combinations of HC-OC-QB that one could’ve imagined at the beginning of the offseason.

The head coaching search took a lot of twists and turns, looking like it would be Bill Belichick for a period. Once Morris was hired, it was clear Robinson was following him from Los Angeles to Atlanta. That part didn’t leave much room for speculation.

Then, it was the quarterback search. At one point, it felt like the Falcons could trade up in the draft to land one of the top prospects, but that flame was quickly extinguished when it became clear the Bears, Commanders, and Patriots weren’t trading their picks.

Without hesitation, the Falcons flipped their attention to the free agent market with one target in mind, the best option available in Kirk Cousins. Thanks to Arthur Blank’s backing, Raheem Morris and Terry Fontenot were able to recruit Cousins away from Minnesota to Atlanta.

But why? Why was it Kirk Cousins and not, say… Baker Mayfield or Justin Fields? Well, for one, Morris’ connection to Cousins from their time in Washington was a factor, but it wasn’t the only one as he told Steve Wyche in an interview.

A lot of that was coach speak. The answer is quite simple as to why the Falcons targeted Kirk Cousins. He was by far the best option that was most readily available. All it took was a free agent contract, no trade compensation or draft capital. That’s important and cannot be understated.

The Falcons ended up with their top target because they were willing to go further than the Vikings. Kirk Cousins ended up in Atlanta because Blank was willing to pony up, and he was by far the best option to compete in 2024. It’s that simple.

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Photographer: Larry Radloff/Icon Sportswire

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