Kirk Cousins Watch: Vikings 'Still in the Game' With Falcons Looming
As of late, there have seemingly been more and more signs pointing towards Kirk Cousins signing with the Falcons when the free agency negotiating window opens this week. But that's far from any sort of done deal. The Vikings are still very much in the mix, according to a Sunday report from ESPN's Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler.
Graziano: If you're already picturing Kirk Cousins in a Falcons uniform, you might be jumping the gun. As of the end of this week, Cousins and the Vikings were still talking, and while Minnesota hasn't gotten its offer to the point Cousins wants it, I get the sense the Vikings are still very much in this thing. Cousins likes it there. His family likes it there. He's playing for an outstanding playcaller in Kevin O'Connell and throwing to one of the best receivers in the league in Justin Jefferson. The fans like him. There's no question it's his team. He could absolutely leave if he doesn't get what he wants in a contract, and Atlanta lurks as a possible — even likely — destination if that happens. But until the league year opens, the Vikings still have a shot to keep him off the market.
The key piece there is that the Vikings' offer still isn't where Cousins wants it to be. Will that change? Everything we've heard suggests that GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has drawn a line in the sand with where he's willing to go on a new Cousins deal. So either he has to compromise and bump up the offer this week, or Cousins' camp has to decide that they want to stay in Minnesota and take the offer on the table.
Fowler: The Vikings are still in the game for Cousins. One team source said, "We're not out of it," while another told me it feels like a 50-50 proposition. Atlanta has remained a major threat, and that hasn't changed. He is believed to be the Falcons' No. 1 target, with owner Arthur Blank motivated to solve Atlanta's quarterback issues. The sense is Minnesota wants to re-sign Cousins but will have its limits after paying him $185 million over the past six years. And the Vikings have considered the possibilities should Cousins leave and could use both free agency and the draft to fill the void.
"A 50-50 proposition" is fascinating, but I'm still not fully sure what to make of this report. Fowler saying "the sense is Minnesota wants to re-sign Cousins but will have its limits" falls in line with what the buzz has been all along. So, again, it sounds like someone has to budge if Cousins is going to return to the Vikings. Maybe Minnesota ups its offer (which seems unlikely). Maybe the market isn't as robust as expected (which seems unlikely). Or maybe Cousins changes his mind and takes less money to stay with the Vikings (which is possible but would go against everything we've seen him do over the years).
I believe that the Vikings are still in the mix. I also believe the Falcons still feel like the favorites here.
Free agency officially begins at 11 a.m. central time on Monday. Expect a decision to come at some point early this week.
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