Following the decision by the Atlanta Falcons to hire Kevin Stefanski as the team's new head coach earlier this month, most assumed a return to the Minnesota Vikings for veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins this year was no longer a realistic possibility.
Stefanski and Cousins worked together in Minnesota in 2018 and 2019, and with Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. currently recovering from a knee injury, many believed Atlanta's new head coach would want the former Viking signal-caller to stick around for at least one more season.
However, former NFL agent Joel Corry recently explained why Cousins is still expected to hit free agency this offseason and be available to sign with Minnesota if he wants.
"New Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski's history with Cousins doesn't change his planned release [for Atlanta]. Stefanski was Cousins' quarterback coach and offensive coordinator during the first two seasons he played with the Minnesota Vikings.
Anytime this type of contract maneuver has been made in the past (Alshon Jeffery, Javon Hargrave, Michael Thomas, Marcus Williams, etc.), a post-June 1 designation has been used to release the player.
Kirk Cousins leaving the Atlanta Falcons for the Minnesota Vikings in 2026 still a possibility
According to Corry, Cousins' 2027 base salary of $67.9 million becomes fully guaranteed on March 13th, which is the third day of the 2026 league year. So, we should know by then if he's going to be a free agent this offseason or not.
If Cousins does indeed become available, it seems safe to assume that the Vikings will be among the teams interested in signing him.
Since the conclusion of the 2025 campaign, Minnesota has talked about adding competition to the quarterback room for J.J. McCarthy this offseason, and someone like Cousins, who has experience running Kevin O'Connell's offense, already has an on-field chemistry with Justin Jefferson, and will be much more affordable at this stage in his career, would be one of the better signal-caller options for the Vikings to consider.
Bringing back Cousins wouldn't put an end to the McCarthy era in Minnesota. But if McCarthy can't beat out Cousins in a preseason quarterback competition, then it would make the Vikings' decisions about the young passer's future with the team a lot easier to figure out.
So, it's not time to break out the old Kirko chains just yet. But the arrival of Stefanski in Atlanta doesn't seem to have put an end to the possibility of Cousins returning to Minnesota this year just yet.