The Atlanta Falcons were in dire need of a new quarterback. After experimenting with Marcus Mariota and Desmond Ridder the past two seasons, they had to change course. In comes Kirk Cousins, a seasoned veteran who consistently puts up numbers. I think he will make the Falcons a better team, but he was definitely overpaid.
Cousins is turning 36 years old in August. He is also coming off a torn achilles tendon. At this age, an injury that brutal can seriously impact your career and ability to compete. In his last three full seasons, he’s had at least 4,200 yards and 29 touchdowns each season. So he is automatically an upgrade for Atlanta. Drake London, Kyle Pitts and Bijan Robinson are definitely looking forward to playing with Captain Kirk.
The problem here is the contract. The Falcons gave Cousins a whopping $180 million dollars for four years. This is a very bold decision for a mostly young Atlanta squad. Giving an aging Cousins this much money might haunt them later on. Hopefully he can play well and not feel the effects of his last injury. When you have a 35 year old at quarterback, that typically means you’re in “win now” mode. Cousins isn’t exactly known for winning either. In 12 years, he has won just one playoff game. Maybe with this Atlanta team, he will snag another one. The gap in experience on this roster might be a great thing, or a total disaster waiting to happen.
The Atlanta Falcons did make the right decision in signing Kirk Cousins, he is a skilled veteran quarterback who has made players better. Weapons such as Kyle Pitts and Drake London finally will have the chance to show their potential. The last two seasons for the Falcons were rough. But many people will agree, $180 million dollars for a near 36 year old coming off a torn achilles is questionable. If some of these young players become stars, they will want to get paid. If that’s the case, the Kirk Cousins’ contract will come back into play. We will just have to see how the Falcons perform this season.
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