ESPN Reveals NFL's Most Impactful New Addition

ESPN ranked the most impactful new additions across the NFL, and Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins comes in hot.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins was brought in to fill the hole left by Matt Ryan. / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Heading into 2023, the Atlanta Falcons were seen as a donut team - a big hole in the middle where the quarterback should be.

Falcons owner Arthur Blank splashed the cash in the offseason to fill that hole with $100-million guaranteed to former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins.

ESPN's Mike Clay deems Cousins as the most impactful newcomer, free agent or draft pick, in the NFL.

"The implications of Cousins to Atlanta can't be overstated," wrote Clay on ESPN+. "The Falcons immediately became the NFC South favorites after the deal, and we should now see the true potential of recent top-10 draft picks Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts. Cousins led the NFL with 18 passing touchdowns prior to suffering a torn Achilles last season, and he will help an Atlanta team that was 25th in QBR last season (41.2)."

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Cousins's 4-year, $180-million contract looks like a relative bargain after the big money deals signed by Trevor Lawrence, Jordan Love, and Tua Tagovailoa in recent weeks. Cousins carries a $25-million cap hit in 2024 for the Falcons, less than the $28.5-million dead cap hit the Vikings are taking on Cousins this year from void years in his last contract.

Atlanta has the flexibility to get out from Cousins's contract in two years with mitigated cap ramifications. The idea is for the then-38-year-old Cousins to hand the reins to No. 8 pick Michael Penix Jr.

Clay's ranking of Cousins as the No. 1 new addition in the NFL runs counter to his analytics colleague Seth Walder who graded the Falcons as having the 29th best (or 4th worst) offseason in the NFL.

We wrote at the time: "If a team fills its biggest need, at the game's most important position, with the No. 2 ranked free agent, on a financially manageable contract... it warrants a grade significantly better than bottom five in the NFL."

Seems Clay would agree.

The Falcons first opponent of the season is the Pittsburgh Steelers who look to be starting Russell Wilson in Atlanta on September 8th. Wilson checked in at No. 21 on the list, with Clay hedging his bets, not putting Wilson higher, in case Justin Fields wins the job in Pittsburgh.

Atlanta and Pittsburgh had arguably the worst quarterback play in the NFL last season. The NFL scheduling gurus made sure to amp up the storylines for Week 1 pitting two-new starters against each other while disgraced-former head coach Arthur Smith conducts from the Steelers sidelines.

Will Cousins live up to the hype of being the most impactful newcomer in 2024? If he does, the predictions of the Falcons winning the NFL South should come true.