Latest Kirk Cousins report keeps potential genius move in play for Vikings

The Atlanta Falcons have been hoping to acquire some type of compensation for Kirk Cousins, who is now set to be the NFL’s highest-paid backup quarterback by a landslide in 2025. 

It appears those hopes are dwindling, per Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports.

Cousins is expected to skip voluntary workouts this spring in hopes of being released by the team who signed him to a whopping $180 million contract last March. With 2024 first-rounder Michael Penix Jr. now in the driver’s seat, Cousins wants full autonomy over his next move, as his big-money contract continues to crush his trade market.

Cousins has a no-trade clause in his deal anyway, which further complicates the situation. Now weeks before the NFL Draft, the Falcons appear to have two options: grant Cousins his wish and release him, or pay handsomely to have him ride the pine behind Penix this season.

The Cleveland Browns appear to be the leader in the clubhouse for Cousins, should he shake free, but that could change if Cleveland selects a quarterback early in this month’s draft. If that happens, Cousins could become a free agent this summer with a depressed market, which would represent a best-case scenario for his former team, the Minnesota Vikings.

Picture this hypothetical: The Vikings allow Cousins to walk in 2024 free agency and sign with the Falcons, fetching a third-round compensatory pick (No. 97 overall this year) in the process. They then draft J.J. McCarthy, and bring Cousins back one year later on a veteran minimum deal as McCarthy’s backup. With Atlanta footing the bill, Cousins would sign a $1.25 million contract with his next team, as long as he doesn’t land a one-year deal worth over $27.5 million on the open market. Given the timing of his potential release by Atlanta, with the draft now around the corner, Cousins is looking at a situation similar to Daniel Jones’ with Minnesota last year.

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This is probably a major long shot, because the Browns are still firmly in the mix, but if Cousins did land back with Minnesota, the Vikings would suddenly have a high-end veteran backup who’s familiar with coach Kevin O’Connell’s system and personnel. Factor in the money and draft compensation, and there’s real potential here for GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to pull off a genius move.

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