Tag: Kirk Cousins

Kick Cousins jokingly couldn’t believe how fast his Falcons teammates roasted him for being a corny dad

The Falcons are ruthless.

With his presence alone, Kirk Cousins gives the Atlanta Falcons legitimacy they haven’t had in years. If the veteran can continue giving Atlanta borderline top-10-level production, the Falcons might even be an understated Super Bowl contender.

All of this is well and good. And the Falcons certainly should appreciate their new quarterback. But that doesn’t mean they’ll hold back any (probably warranted) roasts of their new franchise player.

In a tweet on Monday, Cousins mused about how an unspecified Falcons teammate told him he gave off “Dad vibes” in the lunch line. While that’s probably brutal to hear for a 35-year-old who’s only spent a few weeks with his new team … are they wrong?

Cousins’ entire essence is corny dad. This is not necessarily a bad thing because being a corny dad is essentially a rite of passage in our society. It’s a badge you wear proudly while polishing up your dad jokes and solid white New Balance shoes. But it’s still so funny that Cousins’ Falcons teammates already see him in this light, and they haven’t even played a single game together.

Talk about a guy living up to his reputation.

The Athletic: Fans want Vikings to trade up for a quarterback

According to a recent survey from The Athletic, Minnesota Vikings fans overwhelmingly prefer a trade up for a quarterback in the NFL draft.

The 2024 NFL Draft is just two weeks away, and the big question looming for Minnesota Vikings fans is: How is the team going to address the quarterback situation? The team signed former Jets, 49ers, and Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold in the offseason, but he’s not the long-term solution at the position. So, what is the best way for the team to find that solution?

According to a survey of Vikings fans from The Athletic, nearly 75 percent want to see the Vikings trade up in the draft to take their quarterback of the future. Whether it’s for Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, or J.J. McCarthy, the fanbase overwhelmingly approves of the team making a bold move to secure the most important position in football—if not all sports.

The article, written by Alec Lewis, further breaks down the quarterback choices, with nearly 40 percent of the over 3800 respondents preferring a trade-up (sending picks 11, 23, and 2025 first) for former North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye.

The fanbase’s second choice is former Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy, with just over 23% of respondents saying they would trade picks 11 and 23 and a later-round pick to land McCarthy. Interestingly, that option is less than 3% more than those who would prefer the team to keep their assets, stay at 11 (or later at pick 23), and take former Washington quarterback Michael Penix, Jr.

Perhaps the most interesting tidbit from the survey is just how many—or how few, rather—of the respondents wish the team had paid to keep Kirk Cousins in Minnesota for at least one more season. Not even 2% of the respondents said that the team should have paid for Cousins.

Formern Commanders DE James Smith-Williams signs with Falcons

Smith-Williams’ departure makes it official. The book on the 2020 NFL draft is closed in Washington.

In the latest free agent signings, James Smith-Williams has departed the Commanders to join the Falcons on a one-year deal.

Drafted in the seventh round (No. 229) in the 2020 draft by Washington, the former North Carolina State Wolfpack defensive end played four seasons for the Burgundy and Gold.

When Chase Young went down in 2021 with a season-ending knee injury, Smith-Williams noticeably improved the Commanders defense for the remainder of the season. His defense against the run proved to be a contributing factor to the team winning four consecutive games when he entered the lineup.

He started the last six games of that 2021 season, recording 30 tackles (11 solo, 19 assisted), including four for a loss, 2.5 quarterback sacks, and five additional QB hits.

Smith-Williams started 14 games in the 2022 season, contributing 23 tackles (12 solo, 11 assisted), including five tackles for a loss, three QB sacks and 16 QB hits.

In his final season (2023) in Washington, injuries limited him to 13 games (7 starts), 22 tackles (11 solo, 11 assists), two tackles for a loss, one quarterback sack, and eight quarterback hits.

Here are highlights from his last two Washington seasons.

When the 2024  free agent signing period launched in March, the Commanders new administration determined to sign Dorance Armstrong Jr. and Dante Fowler Jr. both defensive ends who had played for new head coach Dan Quinn in Dallas.

Then, the Commanders signed Clelin Ferrell, a former 49ers defensive end, whom new GM Adam Peters knew from his time as the assistant general manager in San Francisco.

The Commanders had also determined, this offseason, to re-sign Efe Obada over Smith-Williams. Obada has played both inside and outside on passing downs, accumulating 15 career sacks in his 74 NFL games played.

A couple of things are noteworthy. New Falcons free agent quarterback Kirk Cousins has the same agent as Smith-Williams (Priority Sports & Entertainment), and current Falcons assistant general manager Kyle Smith was with Washington and ran the draft board during the 2020 draft, Ron Rivera’s first with Washington.

Falcons QB Kirk Cousins explains why he didn’t take Kyle Pitts’ number

Falcons QB Kirk Cousins explains why he didn’t switch jersey numbers with TE Kyle Pitts

When the Atlanta Falcons introduced quarterback Kirk Cousins, he was asked about potentially switching jersey numbers with tight end Kyle Pitts. Cousins, who’s worn the No. 8 for his entire career, said Pitts was willing to part with it in exchange for “targets.”

While the story initially excited fans about the upcoming season, Cousins chose the No. 18 instead. This left fans wondering why the number swap with Pitts never happened. Thanks to NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal, we finally have an answer.

During an episode of Shaq’s “The Big Podcast,” Cousins explained that while Pitts agreed to give the jersey number up, the NFL stepped in with an additional requirement.

“Then the league spoke into it,” explained Cousins. “They were like ‘Well, Kyle Pitts has a lot of jerseys that are No. 8 with Pitts on the back. You would have to buy every single one.'”

Cousins estimated the price of buying the remaining jerseys to be hundreds of thousands of dollars. Even after signing a four-year, $180 million contract in Atlanta, the price ultimately wasn’t worth it to the Falcons QB.

Hopefully, Cousins isn’t superstitious. Watch his full interview on “The Big Podcast,” as shared on YouTube below:

CBS Sports doesn’t buy the Saints as a new playoff team in 2024

CBS Sports doesn’t buy the Saints as a new playoff team in 2024. New Orleans has more work to do before they’ll earn anyone’s confidence:

Not many people are buying what the New Orleans Saints are selling — that a team quarterbacked by Derek Carr and coached by Dennis Allen can reach the postseason. Between their own shortcomings and the upgrades other teams in the NFC South have made this offseason, New Orleans is predicted to be watching the playoffs from home like everyone else.

It’s the Atlanta Falcons who will be hosting a playoff game next January, argues Cody Benjamin for CBS Sports. Here’s why Benjamin argues the Falcons, not the Saints, are going to the postseason in 2024:

The Falcons had all the ingredients for a wild-card run in 2023, except a legitimate signal-caller. Now Kirk Cousins is under center, and while his career suggests more of a steady hand than a special talent, he’s got enough ascending skill talent and underrated defensive support to warrant an instant playoff berth in the wide-open NFC South.

It’s early, but Cousins might be the most overrated player to change teams this offseason. The quarterback turns 36 this summer and is coming off of Achilles surgery after an unsuccessful six-year run with the Minnesota Vikings in which he won as many home playoff games as he did in six years with Washington: zero. The only postseason success Cousins found in Minnesota came in 2019, when the Saints (who else?) choked in front of their own home crowd.

Cousins and Carr have been unfavorably compared to each other for years, and their numbers are very similar. So are their resumes. You could argue that Cousins is entering a better situation than Carr found in New Orleans last season, but they’re both teaming up with defensive-minded head coaches who got ran out of one NFL city once already, and who both have sub-.400 career winning percentages (Dennis Allen is at .343, Raheem Morris is at .356). They aren’t that different.

Maybe Cousins is a better quarterback than his production suggests, but he isn’t much better than Carr. The Falcons haven’t won anything with the roster he’s inheriting. At least the Saints have players who have won games in January before, even if it’s been a while. We’ll have to wait and see whether all this confidence Cousins is receiving was warranted when the season kicks off in September.

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B/R writer sees little cause for quarterback panic from the Saints

Bleacher Report isn’t a believer in Derek Carr, so why do they feel the Saints’ panic level at quarterback is low? What about the rest of the NFC South?

Should New Orleans Saints fans feel panic about their quarterback? Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon broke down how concerned each team should be about their current quarterback situation. The levels on his “Panic Meter” ranged from nonexistent to red alert.

Derek Carr is a polarizing figure among the Who Dat Nation, so answers would vary depending on who you ask. But Gagnon puts the concern at a low level for the Saints, writing:

New Orleans Saints: Low

This rating is mainly because they’re sort of stuck with Derek Carr financially for at least two more years. It could get ugly real soon, though.

The assurance of Carr’s future keeps Gagnon from panicking. If Carr doesn’t deliver this season, the Saints could draft a replacement and sit him at the start of the 2025 season. Derek Carr is not a horrible quarterback. He’s an average quarterback. If New Orleans wants to elevate, he probably won’t be the leader. They could do much worse, but it’s tough to see the Saints doing much better without making big changes.

Logically, Gagnon says the Atlanta Falcons find themselves with the lowest panic level in the division. Kirk Cousins is a solid quarterback and should lead the team for a few years at least. The Carolina Panthers do find themselves with a higher concern level than New Orleans though. Gagnon is already looking at potentially moving on from Bryce Young. And the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are treading water after extending Baker Mayfield. Will all four quarterbacks still be in place this time next year? In two years? Three? We’ll have to wait and see.

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Kevin O’Connell sheds light on Justin Jefferson contract and future quarterback situations

At the NFL owners meetings, Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell discussed Justin Jefferson and his involvement with the QB process

The NFL’s annual league meetings are going on right now in Orlando, FL, and Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has provided some illumination on two hot-button topics surrounding the team. From ESPN writer Kevin Seifert’s report, O’Connell has said he’s been having “regular check-ins” with wide receiver Justin Jefferson regarding the team’s plan at the quarterback position.

Minnesota lost long-time starting quarterback Kirk Cousins in the offseason, as he signed a contract with the Atlanta Falcons in the opening wave of the NFL’s free agency period. Cousins and Jefferson had a connection during their time in Minnesota that helped make Jefferson one of the best wide receivers in the league. With Cousins now gone, O’Connell mentioned that Jefferson is “excited about the potential of contributing to the mentorship of a young quarterback”.

That quote would seem to imply that the plan for the Vikings is to draft a quarterback in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft, likely early, and that Jefferson will play an integral role in that quarterback’s development both in the immediate and in the long-term.

To further illustrate the idea that Jefferson is in the Vikings’ long-term plans, O’Connell also mentioned that Jefferson “doesn’t need to know the outcome of the team’s plans before signing a contract extension”.

That news should be encouraging to all Vikings fans. There has been a lot of speculation about Jefferson and how willing he would be to stick around with the Vikings without Cousins in the fold. At least for now, that seems to be a non-issue and both Jefferson and the team seem to be committed to Jefferson sticking around for the long haul.

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2024 NFL Draft: What would a trade up look like for the Vikings to get their quarterback?

The cost to go up and the Vikings a top quarterback in the 2024 NFL draft would be heavy.

The Minnesota Vikings have spent a great deal of the offseason working on their quarterback position for the future. After Kirk Cousins left for the Atlanta Falcons, the Vikings immediately went into action to prepare for the present and the future at the position via the 2024 NFL draft.

One of the first things the Vikings did was make a trade to get an extra first-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft by working a deal with the Houston Texans.

In the trade, the Vikings acquired the No. 23 overall pick in the first round and the No. 232 selection (seventh round). The Texans get No. 42 overall (second round), No. 188 (sixth round), and a second-round pick in 2025.

This means the Vikings have the No. 11 and No. 23 overall picks. Minnesota could stay put and hope one of the top four quarterbacks falls to them. Obviously Caleb Williams will be off the board to the Chicago Bears but it’s anyone’s best guess as to what order Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels and J.J. McCarthy will come off the board. However, it’s safe to assume the Vikings would be taking a huge risk not trading up.

So how high would Minnesota have to move up? Most pundits assume quarterbacks are going to go 1,2,3. So for Minnesota, if they want one of those quarterbacks, the price is going to be very high. So let’s look at a scenario that would land the Vikings the fourth quarterback, who we expect to see either Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy or North Carolina’s Drake Maye.

The Arizona Cardinals hold the No. 4 overall pick and the Los Angeles Chargers have the No. 5 overall pick. Neither team will target a quarterback but Minnesota has to think the New York Giants are in the mix for a quarterback but this is more about getting ahead of the New York Jets and outpacing the Denver Broncos who are also in the market for a quarterback.

That’s why for this scenario we look to the Chargers. They could drop back to No. 11 and still be in the mix for a top skill player so let’s go to the old trade value chart and see how this would work.

The value of the No. 5 overall pick is 1700. The value of the Vikings No. 11 pick is 1250 and the No. 23 pick is 760. That gives them a combined value of 2010 which would be more than enough to work the deal on paper and probably get the Chargers to throw in a fifth or sixth round pick as well.

If we were the Vikings, we would not trade up with Bo Nix and Michael Penix Jr. both making serious pushes to be selected in the first round.

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Falcons crack top 10 in TD Wire’s post-free agency power rankings

The Falcons crack the top 10 in Touchdown Wire’s post-free agency power rankings

No team made a bigger splash over the first two weeks of NFL free agency than the Atlanta Falcons. On the first day of the new league year, the team signed former Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins to a four-year deal with $100 million in guarantees.

After missing the playoffs for six straight seasons, the Falcons will look to Cousins to end their postseason drought and maximize the team’s offensive weapons, including Drake London, Kyle Pitts and Bijan Robinson.

While Atlanta still has needs on the defensive side of the ball, the team holds three picks in the first three rounds of the 2024 NFL draft to address them. So where do the Falcons currently rank after adding Cousins to the roster?

Atlanta was listed as the No. 7 team in the NFL in Touchdown Wire’s post-free agency power rankings:

The Falcons saw the roster they had at hand, and went out to get their quarterback to bring it all together. Adding Kirk Cousins to an offense that already had a skill group of Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Bijan Robinson, plus a defense that was fifth in success rate, makes Atlanta a team that can contend for a Super Bowl. — Jarrett Bailey, Touchdown Wire

While it does feel odd to see the team ranked in the top 10 after so many consecutive years of mediocrity, however, you could argue that Atlanta was a quarterback away from winning the NFC South in 2023.

The team didn’t lose any major players in free agency and there’s still time to upgrade on defense. The Falcons would benefit from re-signing veteran defensive lineman Calais Campbell, assuming he doesn’t retire.

Atlanta is potentially one good draft away from becoming an actual contender in the NFC.

PFF lists favorite, least favorite moves by Falcons in free agency

Pro Football Focus highlighted their favorite and least favorite moves by the Falcons in free agency thus far

After struggling to find a quarterback over the last two offseasons, the Atlanta Falcons didn’t waste any time going after the top free agent on the market. The team signed veteran Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal on the opening day of free agency.

Aside from signing Cousins, the Falcons brought in wide receivers Ray-Ray McCloud and Darnell Mooney. Plus, they traded quarterback Desmond Ridder to Arizona in exchange for wide receiver Rondale Moore.

Time will tell how these new additions fare in Atlanta, but Pro Football Focus listed their favorite and least favorite moves by each of the 32 NFL teams. PFF’s Brad Spielberger listed Mooney as his favorite Falcons free-agent addition:

Mooney avoided a one-year flier after a down 2023 season and got paid a contract that reflects an understanding that his lack of production in recent years wasn’t entirely his fault, with the Bears ranking 32nd in passing yards over his rookie contract. Mooney still separated consistently on film, and now he immediately steps in as a No. 2 option at wide receiver opposite Drake London, winning in different ways than him and tight end Kyle Pitts. A reunion with former Bears general manager Ryan Pace, the man who drafted Mooney in 2020, was a perfect match for all parties.

So while the team was praised for adding Mooney, PFF wasn’t as high on Atlanta’s decision to sign Cousins. The 35-year-old makes the Falcons a better team but is coming off a serious Achilles tear that prematurely ended his 2023 campaign.

Spielberger expressed concern over Cousins’ age and injury status but conceded that he was a top-15 player at his position:

Cousins has undoubtedly proven he’s a top-10-to-15 quarterback in the NFL, and this is the going rate when a player of that caliber reaches unrestricted free agency. Nonetheless, it seems like some people are hand-waving the fact he’ll be 36 years old coming off a torn Achilles. That said, his dance moves looked good at the NFL Awards, so clearly his recovery is going well. — Brad Spielberger, PFF

The pressure is on Cousins to live up to his $100 million in guaranteed money and avoid a Russell Wilson-like disaster in Atlanta. The former Michigan State star has passed for 39.471 yards, 270 touchdowns and 110 interceptions over 12 NFL seasons.

Cousins has a proven track record of high-level play in the regular season and assuming he returns healthy, the Falcons are the clear favorites for the NFC South in 2024.