The NFL legal tampering period is set to be off and running at noon ET today, but ahead of that, the rumor mill has been working overtime for some of the league’s best players and their possible destinations. Such is the case for Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins, who is set to hit the open market when everything unfolds.
While the feeling is the Vikings are going to do everything they can to ensure their starting QB stays in Minnesota, there’s no guarantee that Cousins will be back in the purple and gold for 2024. With a lot of smoke around Cousins and his potential next stop, we discuss the latest free agency news surrounding the veteran QB.
Kirk Cousins Free Agency: Sweepstakes Start With Atlanta Falcons
This is the time for rumors and speculation across the NFL, and when it comes to Cousins and his potential next move, a lot of smoke has been surrounding one particular team. That team is none other than the Atlanta Falcons, and with about an hour and a half left until the legal tampering period opens, the word around Cousins and the Falcons is intensifying.
According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, “Kirk Cousins will hit free agency and begin discussions with Atlanta as soon as the tampering window opens in 90 minutes, per sources.”
From early on in the process, there has always been a sense that Cousins and the Falcons were a good match for one another. And as things begin to open up around the league, it looks as if Cousins will start his search there.
Vikings Still in Play for Cousins
While it looks like the Falcons may be in the driver’s seat right now, no one is ruling out his former team, the Vikings. There is mutual interest between the two to stay together, but ultimately it’s a business, and Cousins will make the decision that is best for him and his family.
Vikings’ head coach Kevin O’Connell met with the media a couple of weeks ago and discussed Cousins and his desire to have him back.
“I think Kirk Cousins wants to be a Viking, and we’re gonna work to make that happen,” O’Connell started.
“I feel like we’re heading toward a good place with Kirk, but like we’ve seen, free agency and the uncertainties for this time of year, you’ve got to be ready in a leadership role to have contingency plans and adjust on the fly.
“We come here two years, and Kirk was a huge reason why,” O’Connell continued. “I thought so highly amongst a lot of things about the Minnesota Vikings’ opportunities because of my belief of him.
“We’ve won a lot of games over these two years with Kirk as our quarterback and thought he was playing as well as anybody in the National Football League when he got hurt after beating the Packers at Lambeau last year.”
How it all unfolds for Cousins and the Vikings remains to be seen, but it’s clear that he’s wanted back in the fold for 2024 and beyond in Minnesota.
Broncos a Dark-Horse Option?
While the connection between the Falcons and the Vikings has been evident and obvious, according to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, it looks as if the Denver Broncos may be in play as well.
“Other teams I would expect to pursue Cousins do include the Atlanta Falcons and quite possibly the Denver Broncos as well.”
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Fresh off of releasing veteran QB Russell Wilson, who just recently signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers himself, the Broncos could be in the mix for Cousins as well, according to Pelissero.
While it would be an extraordinary financial burden to eat Wilson’s massive cap charge as well as command the type of money Cousins is expecting in the open market, it still looks like the Broncos are at least in the conversation and worth watching as this all plays out.
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