Kirk Cousins to Atlanta Hype Train is Out of Control

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Credit: Ben Ludeman-USA TODAY Sports

The Atlanta Falcons have become a very popular projected destination for Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, who is set to become a free agent on March 13, the first day of the new league year. At this point, the reasoning has become over-reported. We just posted about links between the two sides yesterday. Yet here we are again.

Related: Vikings Still Refuse to Fully Guarantee Kirk Cousins’ New Contract

We get it, we get it. His wife is from the Atlanta area and the two have a lot of friends and family there. On the football field, the Falcons feel like they are stacked with talent at all of the offensive skill positions, except quarterback. It’s the classic ‘we’re a QB away’ mentality… blah blah blah.

Kirk Cousins to Atlanta Falcons hype never stops

So on Tuesday, when NFL insider Matt Bowen (ESPN) predicted landing spots for the top-50 NFL free agents this offseason, it wasn’t surprising when he placed Kirk Cousins in Atlanta. Spoiler alert: Danielle Hunter also leaves and signs with the Los Angeles Rams.

“The Vikings should be in the mix to re-sign Cousins, but I think he fits really well with Atlanta under new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson (who worked under Sean McVay in Los Angeles). It works well for Cousins in both the play-action and dropback passing game. Before tearing his right Achilles in Week 8, Cousins was completing 69.5% of his throws and had 18 touchdown passes to five interceptions. He would be an upgrade under center for an Atlanta offense that has plenty of young offensive skill talent in Drake London, Kyle Pitts and Bijan Robinson.”

Matt Bowen – ESPN+

But the Falcons hype goes far beyond what Matt Bowen had to say. In fact, there’s nothing new in his report. It seems everybody wants to see Kirk Cousins land in Atlanta. Why? Probably because they’ve made it very apparent how much they want him behind the scenes. Something it doesn’t seem the Vikings are doing a very good job of.

Seriously… why?

Still, it’s the Minnesota Vikings who are remain -200 favorites as Kirk’s team next season, according to DraftKings. The Falcons, though, are far and away the favorite (+300) to land Cousins, if he were to sell his home in Eagan and look for another team to play football for. After the Falcons, it’s the New England Patriots, at +800.

The Kirk Cousins + Atlanta Falcons hype train has been running so hot that you almost have to expect it to run off the rails any time. Hopefully, it’s because NFL experts look at the Vikings and Falcons roster and realize that the Minnesota offense is actually better than what Atlanta has.

Sure, take Bijon Robinson and Tyler Allgier as upgrades to what the Vikings have with Mattison and Chandler. But who cares? They are running backs. Nobody cares about running backs anymore. Are you going to take either of the Falcons’ tight ends, Kyle Pitts or Jonnu Smith over TJ Hockenson? No, you wouldn’t.

Related: Mike Florio Claims Vikings Ownership is Holding Up Justin Jefferson Extension

And Drake London is a cute little player but he isn’t Justin Jefferson. I wouldn’t even put him ahead of Jordan Addison, at this point in both players’ careers. It’s moments like these where I, yet again, am left wondering why the Vikings organization seems so quick to shuffle Cousins out of town.

Everybody continues to blame the salary cap, but trust me, I’ve dug into that exhaustively and do not see a real problem. Others have done the same. Especially beyond 2024, all I see is wide open spaces in a cap world that exponentially goes up every year.

But usually in this world of major professional sports, where so many people are plugged into what’s happening behind the scenes, where there is hype… there is fire. And that’s exactly how this Kirk Cousins to Atlanta situation is starting to feel.

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