Kirk Cousins wants to see what he likes on the open market.
Cousins has shined now for the Vikings for the past six seasons. He went from an unlikely starter in Washington to shining in Minnesota and establishing himself among the top quarterbacks in the league, dazzling with a 67.9 completion percentage, 4,000 passing yards in four campaigns and at least 26 touchdowns in all but the 2023 injury-shortened season.
The 35-year-old quarterback is coming off a torn Achilles that cost him all but eight games in 2023, during which he completed 69.5 percent of his passes for 2,331 yards with 18 touchdowns and five picks. He now heads to free agency as the most sought-after quarterback on the open market, particularly after Baker Mayfield re-signed with the Buccaneers.
The market might not be robust for the veteran quarterback as several QB-needy teams look for either more inexpensive options or quarterbacks through the draft. But it won't be surprising to see the consistent starter rank among the highest-paid QBs in 2024 by the time he inks a deal.
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Here's what you need to know about the market for Cousins.
Kirk Cousins rumors tracker
Kirk Cousins signs with Falcons
Cousins has made his decision: he's headed to Atlanta. Cousins will reportedly sign a four-year contract with the Falcons, according to his agent Mike McCartney.
Cousins' wife's family is from Georgia, and the decision for him to head to Atlanta will move his family closer to home.
Broncos won't pursue Kirk Cousins
The Broncos have already cut ties with one highly paid, veteran quarterback. They won't be pursuing another.
Denver will not be among the teams interested in signing Cousins, per The Athletic's Dianna Russini, despite reportedly having conversations discussing signing him in free agency.
While the Denver Broncos had some conversations about the possibility of going after QB Kirk Cousins, they are not going to be pursuing him if he hits free agency, per sources.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) March 11, 2024
Vikings still in on Kirk Cousins despite free agency
Cousins might be looking around at other teams, but don't rule out a return to Minneapolis for him.
Some in Minnesota believe Cousins still wants to return to the Vikings, but that it will come down to how the deal is shaped up, per The Athletic's Dianna Russini.
The Vikings are having internal conversations about their offer to Kirk Cousins. They haven't been informed by Cousins' camp about his decision, per sources. There's a feeling around the team that the QB wants to stay a Viking but this will come down to structure of the deal.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) March 11, 2024
Kirk Cousins opts to test free agency
There was some speculation about whether Cousins might ink a contract to return to Minnesota before the start of free agency. Instead, he is going to take his talents to the open market.
Cousins' agent informed the Vikings on Sunday the four-time Pro Bowl quarterback would be hitting the open market on Monday, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, who noted the Vikings, Falcons and possibly Broncos could all be involved in pursuing Cousins.
"A deal could come together quickly assuming the offer is right," Pelissero said. "So what does an offer to Kirk Cousins look like? I would certainly anticipate that the average per year is going to be upwards of $40 million but structure is also really important, future guarantees are really important to a player who has played on a fully guaranteed deal for nine seasons in a row."
