Kirk Cousins was at a pivotal moment in his career in 2024. Despite a strong performance in the 2023 season, the veteran suffered a torn Achilles tendon. After some tough decisions, the veteran and the franchise parted ways. Look back at why Cousins left in free agency and how the decision ultimately played out.
Why Did Kirk Cousins Leave the Minnesota Vikings?
Cousins and the Vikings made history when he joined the franchise in 2018. He agreed to the NFL’s first fully guaranteed contract, a three-year deal worth $84 million. He then signed a two-year extension worth $66 million in 2020 and another one-year extension worth $35 million in 2022 to keep him with the franchise through the 2023 season.
After tearing his Achilles tendon, the verdict was out on whether he would maintain his level of play from the 2022 and 2023 seasons before the injury. Cousins was leading the offense with no issues under head coach Kevin O’Connell, but they weren’t winning because of him either.
With uncertainty surrounding his injury and the future direction of the franchise, both parties decided to part ways during the 2024 offseason. On March 13, 2024, Cousins signed a four-year $180 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons, which included a guaranteed $100 million.
About a month and a half later, at the 2024 NFL Draft, the Falcons shocked the NFL world by selecting QB Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick. While Cousins wasn’t the answer for the long-term future, it was a peculiar decision to invest such a high draft pick in a quarterback, considering how much money the Falcons promised Cousins in free agency.
While the Falcons said Cousins would still start the season, the selection wasn’t necessarily a vote of confidence in the veteran. In an episode of the Netflix series “Quarterback”, Cousins said he felt “a bit misled” when Atlanta selected Penix that high and might have re-signed with the Vikings if he had known.
He explained, “If I had the information around free agency, it certainly would’ve affected my decision. I had no reason to leave Minnesota with how much we loved it there if both teams are going to be drafting a quarterback high.”
However, with the NFL’s ever-changing landscape, you never know who could be calling to try to find a way to trade for the veteran signal-caller.
Falcons Players’ Fantasy Outlook for Week 7
Here’s what PFSN’s Kyle Soppe wrote on the notable Falcons players’ fantasy outlooks for the Week 7 matchup against the 49ers:
Michael Penix Jr.
This is part of the developmental process. Michael Penix looks a lot like Cam Ward when I turn on the TV, in that there are some plays made at a high level and others missed without much reason.
I thought he showed well for himself in the upset of the Bills last week, but it didn’t really pay off in fantasy points (250 pass yards, one TD, 6 rushing yards).
He was what the Falcons needed, and he continues to load up his talented teammates with as much usage as they can handle. That’s the path to success for Atlanta, but not us.
Penix has just one game with multiple touchdown passes this season and has a total of 16 rushing yards over his past four. Steps are being taken, and that’s good for the long-term fantasy picture.
Bijan Robinson
There are three instances this season in which a player has 140+ rushing yards and 5+ targets: Bijan Robinson is responsible for two of them.
The first was the Week 2 beatdown of the Vikings, and the second was on Monday night against the Bills, a sparkling performance highlighted by an 81-yard touchdown run. Robinson has a 25-yard touch and five targets in every game this season, a role/skill set combination that is as close to bulletproof as it gets.
He’s a highlight waiting to happen: this game is appointment viewing on Sunday night, as we will have one of the best running backs in recent memory on the field essentially at all times.
Drake London
Through five games, Drake London has more catches (34) than any of his teammates have targets, and Darnell Mooney, who has missed 40% of Atlanta’s games this season, remains second on the target leaderboard when it comes to Falcon WRs.
Penix is far from a polished prospect. Still, he seems keenly aware that getting the ball to his high-pedigree teammates is a good way to make a living, and he’s executing (London, Robinson, and Kyle Pitts have accounted for 69.6% of Atlanta targets).
London has earned 10+ targets three times this season, and his monster game on Monday night (10-158-1) grows if a touchdown at the end of the first half doesn’t come off the board.
The 49ers’ defense is playing well above expectations this season, but they’ve allowed a receiver to clear 15 PPR points in four of six games, and even if Mooney were to return to action, there’s not much debating as to who the most likely player on this team is to check that box.
London is a top 10 play for me this week and not far off of that for the second half of the season as a whole.
Kyle Pitts
With under 40 receiving yards in three of his past four games, at this point, I’d love to tell you that Kyle Pitts is a TD-reliant tight end, but that’s like saying I’m a pickup basketball player who relies on his height.
I’m 5’10”. On a good day.
Pitts has played 66 games across his five seasons, earning 361 targets in the process and scoring just 11 times. If you’re waiting on a single target to get you 7-9 points, more often than not, you’re going to be waiting for all four quarters in that given week.
This, to me at least, looks different than Pitts’ tease runs of years past. His PPR points per target are trending toward a career high, and the efficiency is in a good spot to sustain, given his target diet.
- 2021: 11.2 aDOT
- 2022: 13.7 aDOT
- 2023: 12.0 aDOT
- 2024: 8.7 aDOT
- 2025: 4.9 aDOT
There’s a world in which he’s racking up 5+ catches a week, and that fuels double-digit PPR production every week.
I’m just not sure we are living in that world.
