The start of the new NFL league year is upon us as the 2024 NFL Business Year officially kicks off on Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET. That means teams can turn their free agency deals with players into official contracts, something the Atlanta Falcons will do this afternoon with four-time Pro Bowl quarterback Kirk Cousins.
The cousins accepted a four-year, $180 million contract with $100 million guaranteed, including a $50 million signing bonus, and he’s in Atlanta ready to put pen to paper.
However, this means he will officially be leaving the Minnesota Vikings, his football home for the past six seasons (2018-2023). This led him to post a farewell video to the Vikings organization and the state of Minnesota on Wednesday afternoon. Cousins earned three of his four career Pro Bowl selections in the Twin Cities, and his 171 passing touchdowns as a Viking are second in team history, behind Temple’s 239 of Fran Tarkenton fame.
Cousins transitions to an offense in Atlanta ready for his arrival. The Falcons already have an explosive young running back (Bijan Robinson, the No. 8 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft whose 1,463 yards from scrimmage were the most by a rookie in team history); two incredibly athletically gifted pass catchers (fourth pick in the 2021 draft, Kyle Pitts, and eighth pick in the 2022 draft, Drake London); and a strong offensive line (31.1% quarterback pressure rate allowed last year, fifth in the NFL, led by PFF’s highest). (guard listed as Chris Lindstrom.)
The offense will be called by new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, who spent the last five seasons as an assistant on Sean McVay’s Los Angeles Rams coaching staff. Cousins will likely have some schematic familiarity after working with Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell, also a former McVay assistant.
