Kirk Cousins is the biggest name in a crowded free-agent quarterback market and his Minnesota Vikings are giving him the freedom to see what else is out there.
Many teams around the league need a new signal-caller, and one team in particular appears to be making a strong early push for the veteran QB.
According to Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report, the Atlanta Falcons are considered major contenders to sign Cousins when free agency opens, and he is the top quarterback on their wishlist.
Sources to @BleacherReport: The #Falcons are considered a major contender to lure QB Kirk Cousins out of Minnesota once free agency officially opens on Monday at 12 ET, per multiple sources.
The #Vikings are still trying to retain Cousins, who is the top quarterback on Atlanta’s… pic.twitter.com/IePG7AX53k
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 10, 2024
Cousins will be 36 at the start of next season and fresh off a torn Achilles.
He would bring the Falcons the veteran presence they have lacked at the position since Matt Ryan left and help get more out of their trio of top-10 draft picks in that offense in Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts.
Atlanta currently has $41.2 million in cap space, which is just a few hundred thousand more than the Vikings have, so money won’t be an issue on either side.
It will simply boil down to what Cousins wants at this point in his career.
He has just one playoff win under his belt and could see the option of going to the Vikings as a stronger path to playoff success given the weaker division and bevy of weapons on offense.
In the upcoming draft, the Falcons have the 8th pick, while the Vikings will pick 11th.
Either team could opt to go with a rookie and use their cap space to fill in the roster around them, or they could engage in a battle of will to land Cousins.
We’ll see what happens starting Monday when free agency opens.
NEXT: Vikings Reportedly Have Interest In 2 QBs If Kirk Cousins Leaves