ESPN Names Best Team Fits For Vikings' Two Prominent Free Agents

Where will Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter end up this offseason? They're two of the Vikings' longest-tenured players and two of the premiere free agents on the entire market this spring. Whether they return to Minnesota or land elsewhere will shape the offseason for a Vikings team coming off a disappointing 2023 campaign.

Over at ESPN, Matt Bowen has listed the "best team fits" for each of his top 50 free agents, with Cousins and Hunter making the top ten.

No. 3: Kirk Cousins, QB – Atlanta Falcons

The Vikings should be in the mix to re-sign Cousins, but I think he fits really well with Atlanta under new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson (who worked under Sean McVay in Los Angeles). It works well for Cousins in both the play-action and dropback passing game. Before tearing his right Achilles in Week 8, Cousins was completing 69.5% of his throws and had 18 touchdown passes to five interceptions. He would be an upgrade under center for an Atlanta offense that has plenty of young offensive skill talent in Drake London, Kyle Pitts and Bijan Robinson.

Cousins winding up with the Falcons makes all kinds of sense, assuming he leaves Minnesota. There would be some schematic continuity with Robinson running a McVay/Shanahan style offense, and he'd be landing in an offense with a great line and several dynamic young weapons. (The Vikings also have those things, of course, but they might not be willing to pay Cousins what Atlanta will). Then there's the bonus that Cousins' wife Julie is from the Atlanta area and the family already spends time there in the offseason. It's a great fit.

No. 8: Danielle Hunter, EDGE — Los Angeles Rams

The Rams have money to spend in free agency, and filling the edge rushing need should be a priority. Hunter's 16.5 sacks with the Vikings in 2023 were the fifth most in the league, and he also forced four fumbles. Adding Hunter would give the Rams a productive veteran force opposite Byron Young — who had eight sacks as a rookie — with Aaron Donald on the interior. That's how you upgrade a pass rush.

If the Vikings don't choose to re-sign Cousins, they should probably make a legitimate push to bring back Hunter, who is just 29 years old and coming off a massive season. They won't be able to draft his replacement in the first round if they're targeting a Cousins replacement (especially with a trade up). Hunter is young enough and good enough to be a foundational piece of the next few years, in the event the Vikings reset a bit with a rookie QB. But if they do let him walk, it would be quite the sight if he ends up joining forces with Donald in LA.

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