Signing Kirk Cousins early was key to Falcons’ offseason،
ORLANDO, Fla. – The Atlanta Falcons had options to explore this offseason when it came to finding a franchise quarterback, and they had a clear Plan A.
“Kirk (Cousins) was definitely a big priority for us,” coach Raheem Morris said Tuesday at the NFL annual meeting. “It was one of those things that we wanted to go out there and try to establish early.
“That was huge for us – it gives us the best chance to win football games and go out there and compete every weekend.”
The Falcons signed the former Minnesota Vikings QB on March 11 to a four-year, $180 million contract with a $50,000,000 signing bonus. His cap hit in 2024 will be $25 million.
Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot described Cousins as the quarterback they needed to set the tone for the rest of the offseason. The team then signed receivers Darnell Mooney and Ray-Ray McCloud, blocking tight end Charlie Woerner, and traded former starting quarterback Desmond Ridder to the Arizona Cardinals for wideout Rondale Moore, giving the team a new look – and the necessary depth –. in attack.
“That’s why you have to be aggressive from the beginning,” Fontenot said of Cousins’ arrest on the first day of the free agent period. “Try to do this as early as possible, because it’s an essential part.”
Morris was outspoken last month at the NFL Combine, saying he wouldn't have even been on the podium speaking to the media as coach of the Falcons if the team's quarterback play — a combination of Ridder and Taylor Heinicke — had been better in 2023. Falcons owner Arthur Blank called the team's efficiency “deficient” and former coach Arthur Smith was fired after the season.
Cousins' ability to transform the position from deficient to effective will depend in part on the 35-year-old's ability to come back from the torn right Achilles he suffered eight games last season. Blank said Tuesday on ESPN that Cousins' injury was “the most serious” he's ever had, but the QB is “exactly where he should be based on what the surgeons say, what the surgeons say the doctors”.
Cousins completed 69.5% of his passes with 18 touchdowns and five interceptions before the injury last season. Falcons quarterbacks, primarily Ridder and Heinicke, completed 61.7 percent of their passes for 17 touchdowns and 17 interceptions last season. Heinicke will remain with the team as a backup in 2024 and compete for the second spot, Morris said.
Morris has a history with Cousins. He was the defensive backs coach at Washington from 2012 to 2014 when Cousins played for the franchise. Cousins also most recently played for the Vikings under coach Kevin O'Connell, who is part of the same Sean McVay coaching tree as Morris. O'Connell was McVay's offensive coordinator with the Los Angeles Rams and Morris was the defensive coordinator.
“When you can go get an established guy who's going through some of those bruises, those bumps — and [I] “I actually got a chance to see it visually in Washington — I mean, you can't pass that up,” Morris said.
Cousins will be the lynchpin of an offense filled with talented young players, including running backs Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, wide receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts. All have been drafted by Atlanta since 2021.
The Falcons were willing to explore other avenues to obtain a quarterback, ranging from free agency to a trade to a trade in the draft. But ultimately, by getting Cousins quickly, the rest of the offseason fell into place, especially on offense.
“It could have played out completely differently,” Fontenot said. “If we don't get Kirk and we pivot in that area, it will change a lot of things. There are so many different scenarios. But we're very excited about this one.”
