The start of the NFL's new league year is upon us as the 2024 NFL business year officially kicks off Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET. That means teams can turn their free agency agreements with players into official contracts, something the Atlanta Falcons are going to do this afternoon with four-time Pro Bowl quarterback Kirk Cousins.
Cousins agreed to a four-year, $180 million contract with $100 million guaranteed, including a $50 million signing bonus, and he is in Atlanta ready to put pen to paper.
However, that means he will be officially leaving the Minnesota Vikings, his football home of the last six seasons (2018-2023) behind. That led him to post a goodbye video to the Vikings organization and to the state of Minnesota on Wednesday afternoon. Cousins earned three of his four career Pro Bowl selection in the Twin Cities, and his 171 passing touchdowns as a Viking are the second-most in team history, trailing only Hall of Famer Fran Tarkenton's 239.
Thank you Minnesota.
— Kirk Cousins (@KirkCousins8) March 13, 2024
Love,
Turner, Cooper, Julie and Kirk pic.twitter.com/DuRrIvDYSl
Cousins is moving to an offense in Atlanta primed for his arrival. The Falcons already have an explosive young running back (Bijan Robinson, the No. 8 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft whose 1,463 scrimmage yards were the most by a rookie in team history); two incredibly athletically-gifted pass-catchers (2021 fourth overall draft pick Kyle Pitts and 2022 eighth overall draft pick Drake London; and a strong offensive line (quarterback pressure rate allowed of 31.1% last year, fifth in the NFL, led by PFF's highest-graded guard in Chris Lindstrom.)
The offense will be called by new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, who spent the last five seasons as an assistant on Sean McVay's Los Angeles Rams coaching staff. There will likely be some schematic familiarity for Cousins after working with Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell, also a former McVay assistant.
