Latest Buzz on Vikings' Kirk Cousins Situation: Will Falcons Go All In?

It sounds like multiple outcomes are still on the table for Cousins this month.

A week from now, the NFL's legal tampering window for free agents will open. Two days after that, Kirk Cousins' contract with the Vikings will void (unless an extension is worked out before then). That will accelerate $28.5 million in dead money onto Minnesota's books and officially put Cousins on the open market for the first time in six years.

A resolution to this fascinating situation is almost certainly coming in the next couple weeks. And yet, it still sounds like several different outcomes are on the table in terms of where Cousins is going to end up.

Recent reporting from national insiders at places like ESPN and The Athletic aligns with what has seemed like the case all along: The Vikings want Cousins back, but only on their terms. That's the reason why I've been leaning towards thinking Cousins won't return to Minnesota. They seem to have lines they're not willing to cross in terms of dollars and structure, and Cousins — who has been as good as anyone in NFL history at maximizing his value — might be able to get a better deal somewhere else.

Here's ESPN's Dan Graziano:

The sense I'm getting is Minnesota still wants quarterback Kirk Cousins to return, but Cousins has a very specific idea in mind for what he wants in a new contract, and the Vikings so far have not made an offer that matches it. The ball might be in the team's court at this point. Cousins and his family like Minnesota and would be happy to stay and finish his career there, but it doesn't sound like he's willing to offer the team a hometown discount.

And The Athletic's Dianna Russini: 

The Vikings want to retain him, and the 35-year-old has expressed his love for the organization, but history has shown us that Cousins is the best contract negotiator in sports. The question remains how high Minnesota is willing to go to keep the quarterback that coach Kevin O’Connell clearly wants back running his offense.

Graziano's ESPN colleague Jeremy Fowler summarized it this way: "The feeling is that Minnesota wants to extend Cousins but won't live or die by that desire. It will have limits."

Kevin O'Connell and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah have both been open about wanting Cousins back, but that doesn't mean they're going to cut him a blank check. And it sure doesn't sound like Cousins is going to take a team-friendly deal of any sort. So unless one side budges soon, the expectation should be that Cousins' contract will void and he'll test his options. If his camp finds a satisfactory offer from another team, they'll probably take it. If they don't, maybe the lines of communication with the Vikings open back up again.

As for which other teams might be in the mix to sign Cousins, the Falcons seem like the pretty clear favorites right now. All along, they've made sense for a bunch of different reasons. Their owner, Arthur Blank, is 81 and wants to see his team contend soon. Their offense is loaded with talent and just needs a quarterback. Their offensive coordinator, Zac Robinson, is another Sean McVay disciple. Cousins' wife's family is from the Atlanta area and he spends time there every offseason. It just fits too well — as long as the Falcons don't choose to trade for Georgia native Justin Fields instead. And according to Graziano, the Falcons prefer Cousins to Fields right now.

"I have been told by multiple sources this week that signing Cousins — not trading for Justin Fields — is the Falcons' top QB solution, assuming Cousins makes it to free agency," he wrote.

Russini agrees:

Over the next month, I’m keeping an eye on the Falcons. They believe Cousins is the type of player who moves them from a fringe playoff team to a contender. New Atlanta head coach Raheem Morris and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson both have familiarity with Cousins. Knowing this could be a seamless transition for Cousins and the talented young group of players across their roster, I expect the Falcons to compete for the rights to his contract. It makes all the sense in the world.

Again, it seems like even Cousins himself doesn't currently know where he's going to end up. But while a return to Minnesota remains on the table, signs might be pointing towards the two sides going their separate ways. And if that happens, the Falcons are the most obvious landing spot, though several other teams (Steelers? Raiders? Commanders?) could also wind up getting involved.

We'll find out soon enough.

Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

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