Why Falcons' Raheem Morris Could Push to Sign Kirk Cousins in Free Agency

Atlanta Falcons coach Raheem Morris and Kirk Cousins crossed paths at the beginning of the quarterback's career.

Jeremy Brener | Feb 24, 2024

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Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons are seeking a quarterback this offseason whether he comes from the draft, trade market or free agency.

Among the top free agents is Minnesota Vikings veteran Kirk Cousins, who is fresh off a torn Achilles injury.

Cousins, 35, began his career as a fourth-round pick by Washington. Among the new coaches who joined that team in 2012, Cousins' rookie year, was Raheem Morris, the current Falcons head coach.

Nov 24, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) throws the ball against the New England Patriots during the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium / Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

While Morris coached defensive backs in 2012 for Washington, he has familiarity with Cousins and how he operates, something that may come into play for the Falcons' free agency.

Atlanta may look towards the draft first for a quarterback, but given the fact that they have the No. 8 pick, all of the best options could be gone before the Falcons are on the clock. Therefore, signing a veteran like Cousins may be the move for the Falcons for the upcoming season.

In eight games for the Vikings this season, Cousins threw for 2,331 yards, 18 touchdowns and five interceptions, putting him on pace for some of the best numbers of his career.

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On top of his previous path crossed with Morris, Cousins has ties to the city. He and his wife Julie were married in Atlanta in 2014. A move to the Falcons would be closer to Julie's home for his family of four.

Signing Cousins would certainly be a risk, but even a slight upgrade from Ridder and Heinicke could get the Falcons into the postseason, and the Vikings signal caller is more than a small improvement.

Published Feb 24, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.