The free agent who was widely considered the best player on the market is now out. Kirk Cousins has agreed to a four-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons, according to his agent Mike McCartney. Cousins’ contract is worth $180 million, which includes a $50 million signing bonus, according to NFL Media.
Atlanta announced the signing on Wednesday:
Cousins’ deal with the Falcons can’t be officially finalized until the new league year begins Wednesday, but both sides managed to hammer out the parameters of that contract on the first day of the legal tampering period.
Cousins, 35, is ending his tenure with the Minnesota Vikings, who were reportedly looking to retain the veteran quarterback before he hits the open market.
“After meaningful and positive dialogue with Kirk and his representatives, we were unable to reach agreement on a contract that aligns with the short- and long-term visions of Kirk and the Minnesota Vikings,” the general manager said. of the Vikings, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, in a released statement. shortly after the signing with Atlanta was announced. “Kirk holds a special place in Vikings history, and we appreciate his leadership and contributions to the team and the Minneapolis-St. Paul community over the past six seasons. We wish him and his wife Julie and their children, all the best.
“Our approach entering free agency always included layers of contingencies regarding the quarterback position. We are moving forward with plans that will allow us to continue building a team capable of competing for a championship.”
Cousins arrived in Minneapolis in 2018 when he signed the first-ever fully guaranteed deal in league history. He spent the next six seasons with the franchise and owned a 50-37-1 regular season record during that span. Although Cousins was productive with the Vikings, playoff success eluded the team, which had a 1-2 playoff record during his tenure.
He will now look to achieve further postseason success with a Falcons team looking to reach the playoffs for the first time since losing in the divisional round during the 2017 season.
Of course, Cousins is also looking to return from a torn Achilles he suffered in Week 8 of last season that cut his year short. As he comes roaring back and joins his new club in Atlanta, Cousins will be greeted with a plethora of weapons, including former first-round picks Drake London, Kyle Pitts and Bijan Robinson.
Cousins should be seen as the missing piece of the puzzle that could unlock a Falcons offense that has struggled in recent seasons despite adding some very talented players at the skill positions.
For Minnesota, they will now be looking for a new quarterback to lead their franchise into a new era. This could potentially come via the NFL Draft, where they currently own the 11th overall pick.
