Inside The Vikings

Breaking: Kirk Cousins Agrees to Four-Year Deal With Atlanta Falcons

Cousins is headed to Atlanta, which means the Vikings are in need of a new quarterback.
Will Ragatz|
Breaking: Kirk Cousins Agrees to Four-Year Deal With Atlanta Falcons
Breaking: Kirk Cousins Agrees to Four-Year Deal With Atlanta Falcons

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Minnesota Vikings

Kirk Cousins' six-year run with the Vikings has come to an end. He's agreed to a four-year deal with the Falcons, his agent Mike McCartney announced on Monday.

There it is. Things had been pointing this way for a while now, and it actually happened. The Vikings wanted Cousins back, but it had to be on their terms. They made their offer and drew a line in the sand. Cousins found something he liked more. So after a rollercoaster six-year ride, the man with the second-most passing touchdowns in Vikings history is heading elsewhere.

Update: It's a four-year, $180 million deal for Cousins, per Tom Pelissero, which includes $100 million guaranteed. Cousins gets $90 million guaranteed over the next two seasons and another $10 million in 2026. His signing bonus is $50 million.

What this obviously means is that Minnesota now needs a new starting quarterback. Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall are the only QBs currently under contract this year; neither one is a legitimate starting option. The Vikings could be in the market for both a veteran bridge quarterback — though Baker Mayfield and Russell Wilson are no longer available — and one of the top six QBs in this year's draft class. They hold the No. 11 pick in April and should be considered a candidate to try to move up even higher.

Cousins' Vikings contract will officially void on Wednesday afternoon with the start of the new league year, and Minnesota will have a $28.5 million dead cap charge on their books this year.

The fit in Atlanta makes all kinds of sense for Cousins, whose wife Julie is from the area. The Falcons' offensive coordinator, Zac Robinson, is another former Sean McVay assistant, so the adjustment from Kevin O'Connell's scheme to Robinson's shouldn't be a massive one. Roster-wise, the Falcons have a good offensive line and some exciting skill position talent in Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts. On paper, the NFC South is a fair bit weaker than the NFC North. Cousins should be set up to post big numbers and get to the playoffs.

Cousins, who turns 36 in August, is coming off an Achilles tear that was the first major injury of his career, but he's already throwing and will be good to go for training camp, if not OTAs.

The Vikings are scheduled to host the Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium this year.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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