Kirk Cousins Contract Would Make Falcons the NFC South Favorites Amid NFL Rumors

Despite remaining in contact with the Minnesota Vikings, Kirk Cousins is expected to test the free agent market, NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero reported.

The Atlanta Falcons are one team in need of a starting quarterback and according to NFL insider Jordan Shultz, they are a "major contender" to land the talented signal caller.

The move would immediately make the team favorites to win the NFC South in 2024.

The Falcons are a young team brimming with talent. Bijan Robinson is a running back with the potential to be the best in the league and backup Tyler Allgeier has already proven his value to the team, rushing for over 1,000 yards in his rookie season and spelling Robinson to the tune of 683 yards in year two.

Drake London is a potential game-changing wide receiver and Cordarrelle Patterson is a do-everything player who can carry the ball out of the backfield or catch it and take it the distance.

The pieces are there but as the team found out this past season, young quarterback Desmond Ridder is not the guy. At least not right now.

Ridder had only three games over 300 yards and two with multiple passing touchdowns. In 16 games, he amassed 2,863 yards, 12 TDs, and 12 INTs. His QBR of 40.1 was good enough for 26th in the NFL.

Cousins, conversely, played only half the games that Ridder did due to a torn Achilles tendon that cut his season short. During those games, he totaled 2,331 yards, 18 TDs, just five interceptions, and a 63.2 QBR, which put him at seventh in the league.

There are questions about Cousins' ability to rise to the occasion with a primetime record of 12-20, but there is no doubting his consistency.

Starting in 2015 and every season since, he has not had a quarterback rating below 92.5 and, other than this past injury-shortened season, has not tossed less than 25 touchdowns.

The former Michigan State Spartan would bring big-play potential to a Falcons team that did not have much of it a year ago. Cousins completed 69.5 percent of his passes over 20 yards, something the aforementioned London could benefit exponentially from.

He ranks just outside the realm of the elite, mostly because he has just a 1-4 playoff record, but he has the numbers consistent with those of top-tier quarterbacks. A fresh start away from Minnesota, and with a young and energetic Falcons team, would allow him to prove his doubters wrong while being a key player in the team's rebuilding efforts.

He would also presumably assume the role of mentor for Ridder, who has shown flashes of being a player in the league but has not yet put it all together on the field. Learning from someone who may very well be the most underappreciated slinger in the league would benefit him exponentially.

For the Falcons, bringing Cousins into the organization would give them stability at a position they have been seeking to fill since Matt Ryan departed for Indianapolis and more importantly, return to the organization to the postseason since 2018.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be the toughest test, especially since they announced the return of Baker Mayfield on a three-year deal valued at up to $115 million. New Orleans proved a tough matchup for opponents in 2023 and a second year with the offense should be beneficial to Derek Carr while quarterback Bryce Young will have a second offseason in Carolina to continue to develop his skills.

Atlanta has to make a move to get better fast and acquiring Cousins would do just that and, based on the roster that currently exists, give them a quarterback who can outduel Mayfield, Carr, and Young to win what is sure to be a hotly contested AFC South.