Cousins Agrees To 4-year Contract With Falcons, Leaving Vikings To Look For New QB

Kirk Cousins is leaving Minnesota for Atlanta, touchdown one other huge contract with a well-timed foray into free company.

Cousins agreed Monday to a four-year take care of the Falcons, his agent Mike McCartney introduced on social media. Atlanta had a obtrusive want at quarterback after biking via Tyler Heinicke and Desmond Ridder final season, and Cousins’ spouse, Julie, grew up within the metro space.

Working his manner again from a torn Achilles tendon in his proper foot that sidelined him due to an damage for the primary time in his profession, Cousins had a 103.8 passer ranking in eight video games for the Vikings final season that was nonetheless the third finest within the league regardless of the misplaced time.

The epitome of a late bloomer, Cousins loved largely the best performances of his profession for the reason that Vikings employed coach Kevin O’Connell in 2022.

They had been going to want a succession plan no matter how this negotiation performed out, although, contemplating Cousins’ age and their dedication to a “competitive rebuild,” as basic supervisor Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has termed it a number of occasions.

The Vikings had been severe of their need to proceed with Cousins, however given their cap state of affairs and the current enchancment and outlook round them by their NFC North foes they needed to have a restrict about how a lot — and for a way lengthy — they may assure.

Cousins, for as a lot as he needed to complete his profession with Minnesota, he additionally made clear he needed to be valued with a dedication past a token 12 months.

“It’s not about the dollars, but what the dollars represent,” was how Cousins put it in an interview with reporters on Jan. 8.

Cousins has not solely been the consummate overachiever on the sphere, from afterthought school recruit to fourth-round draft decide to presently twenty fourth place on the NFL’s all-time listing in profession passing yards (39,471), however he has mastered the enterprise facet of the sport with the steerage of his agent Mike McCartney.

After taking part in on consecutive franchise tags for Washington in 2016 and 2017, Cousins cashed in because the uncommon beginning quarterback to hit free company in 2018 when the Vikings had wage cap house and a urgent want on the place after an NFC championship sport look. He bought the primary totally assured, multi-year contract in league historical past for a quarterback when he signed for $84 million.

Just over the previous eight seasons, Cousins has earned greater than $228 million. He has gained just one playoff sport, after the 2019 season.

The Vikings restructured Cousins’ deal a 12 months in the past with out giving him any new cash, leading to a $28.5 million wage cap hit in 2024 for the remaining signing bonus proration in the event that they didn’t attain an extension earlier than the brand new league 12 months formally begins on Wednesday afternoon.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)