Falcons Coach Does Not Expect Kirk Cousins at Team Workouts This Offseason

By    |  
Updated:
Follow Us
Kirk Cousins
Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Despite the Minnesota Vikings having spent a first round draft pick on J.J. McCarthy during the last NFL Draft cycle, quarterback remains a main target for fans, media and the organization this offseason. Head coach Kevin O’Connell and GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah have yet yet to bring in a veteran capable of holding his jock during training camp, allowing rumors and speculation to circulate over what they may be planning.

At the start of free agency, and for much of the time since, their primary focus has been whether or not to add 41-year-old former nemesis, Aaron Rodgers, who has still yet to sign with another team. For now, however, it appears the MN Vikings have moved on from their A-Rodg discussions.

That doesn’t mean they’re out on higher-end veterans, though. Even if they have to complete a trade to make it happen. Enter Kirk Cousins, who spurned running it back with the Vikings in exchange for a massive payday from the Atlanta Falcons.

Former Minnesota Vikings QB a no-show in Atlanta this offseason?

Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings
Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Of course, we all know how that has gone, since. The Falcons went 7-7 with Cousins under center last season, before benching him, in favor of No. 7 overall pick Michael Penix Jr, who they drafted behind Kirk’s back last April, creating this entire mess in the first place.

Now, he enters the 2025 season behind Penix Jr. on the Atlanta depth chart and he’s not happy about it. Kirk Cousins has made it clear to Falcons brass that he does not want to be their backup QB, and instead, would prefer to be traded or released.

So far, Falcons head coach Raheem Morris and the rest of the organization remain defiant that they would rather have a $35 million backup, than a sunk cost no longer on the roster. Since no trade offers have been near what the Falcons deem worthy of the $37M in dead cap that would cost, let alone the $70 million cap penalty they’d have to absorb if they released him.

In other words, we have a stalemate down in Georgia between the Atlanta Falcons and Kirk Cousins. And when there is a contract stalemate in the NFL, we talk holdouts, which begin early in the offseason during voluntary team workouts, or what we in the business like to call “Organized Team Activities”, which begin as early as May.

It’s crazy how much difference a year can make. Around this time last season, Cousins was riding the high of a shiny new deal big money deal. He was everywhere and the Atlanta Falcons organization was parading him around town like the city’s next savior.

Vikings Kirk Cousins vs Falcons Kirk Cousins

Instead of crowning him at the end of the ceremony, however, they drafted his replacement, in Penix Jr. The 6’4″ lefty then proceeded to breath down Cousins’ back for the next 14 weeks, until he was benched, ending the worst “healthy” starting season of his career.

Kirk completed 66.9% of his passes last season, which is the exact same as his career average. But he threw for just 3,508 yards. Outside of his half season with the Vikings in 2023, when he played in only 8 games — it was the lowest passing yard total since 2015, prior to being named the starter in Washington.

Worse yet, Cousins threw only 18 touchdowns in 2024 (also his lowest since 2015), while leading the NFL in interceptions, with 16. In those 8 games as a Viking in 2023, he threw the same exact number (18), but paired those with just 5 interceptions.

In 2022, Kirk Cousins was a pro bowler who led the Vikings to a 13-4 record and Kevin O’Connell’s first playoff appearance as a head coach. The MN Vikings were just 4-4 when Cousins was lost to the season due to a ruptured achilles. But as his numbers show, most of the slow start that 2023 season was not on him.

In fact, he was one of the only things giving fans hope during that ugly turnover-riddled start that ended in a mostly Josh Dobbs led offense sputtering to a 7-10 playoff-less finish. Had he finished out that Packers game, the Vikings were on a three game win-streak and he would have been atop the pile for NFL MVP odds. Instead, he was on the trainers table after the game, then eventually on the surgery table.

A MN Vikings reunion for Kirk Cousins?

It seems far-fetched to believe that there’s a world in which Kirk Cousins wears purple again. At this point, he’d probably be coming back to sit behind young starter, J.J. McCarthy. But does that seem likely? According to some recent reports and rumors, there are avenues being left open by the Vikings, in case they decide to investigate a Cousins’ return.

Still, it seems more possible that the Minnesota Vikings are keeping that open as an insurance plan, just like they are with Aaron Rodgers. If they call him if, it’s probably because JJ McCarthy has had a setback in his recovery or fails to prove himself ready as a starting NFL QB on a playoff-caliber team.

Related: O’Connell Hints at Major Changes to Minnesota Vikings Offense in 2025

If Cousins doesn’t want to be a QB2 in Atlanta, he probably doesn’t want to be a QB2 in Minnesota either. It is possible that Cousins would choose to work with Kevin O’Connell again, as opposed to staying with the Falcons, where he clearly isn’t happy. But why would the Vikings offer what the Falcons are demanding for Cousins, just to sit behind someone else? Again… these questions will all be answered in due time.

Mentioned in this article:

More About:
0What do you think?Post a comment.