It’s been over a year since Kirk Cousins made waves by joining the Atlanta Falcons. Despite his lucrative four-year contract worth millions, Cousins has expressed his dissatisfaction regarding the transparency during negotiations.
In the initial episode of Netflix’s series “Quarterback,” Cousins disclosed that he felt “misled” by the Falcons during the 2024 free agency period. He hinted that he would not have agreed to play for Atlanta had he been aware of their intention to draft a quarterback with the eighth pick, ultimately choosing Michael Penix Jr..
“If I had the information around free agency, it certainly would’ve affected my decision,” Cousins stated. “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.”
Translation: He said he wouldn’t have left Minnesota if he had known both teams were planning to draft a quarterback.
Cousins’ preference seemed clear; he would have rather stayed in Minnesota. Former NFL agent Joel Corry weighed in on the matter, noting that the Falcons’ lack of honesty regarding their quarterback plans could lead to resentment.
Potential Offseason Outcomes
If the Falcons had disclosed their quarterback situation upfront, it’s likely that Cousins would have opted to stay in Minnesota, impacting the entire 2024 offseason significantly:
- March 2024: Cousins remains with the Vikings, likely taking the starting role as the team had a stellar 14-3 finish.
- March 2024: With Cousins in place, Sam Darnold might have signed with the Broncos.
- April 2024: As Darnold joins, the Broncos may have opted for Brock Bowers in the draft.
- April 2024: The Raiders would select Bo Nix instead of drafting a quarterback.
- March 2025: If Cousins had chosen to stay in Minnesota, he might have signed with the Browns for a season.*
Thus, if the Falcons had been transparent with Cousins, it would have triggered a chain reaction that kept Nix in the AFC West, secured Bowers for Denver, and potentially brought Cousins to Cleveland.
