Starting with the original three-year, $84 million fully guaranteed deal they gave him in 2018, the Minnesota Vikings kept kicking the Kirk Cousins contract can down the road with three more fully guaranteed years totaling over $100 million.
An Achilles tear during the 2023 season, and being in position to draft a young quarterback of consequence with a pick in the top half of the first round, gave the Vikings their off-ramp to the Cousins' contract cycle in 2024.
Of course, the Atlanta Falcons ponied up, giving Cousins a four-year, $180 million deal that offseason. Then they created an awkward situation by taking former University of Washington quarterback Michael Penix eighth overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. Now they're going with Penix as their starter in 2025, with Cousins sitting as an expensive backup who'd rather be elsewhere.
As expected, even if Atlanta general manager Terry Fontenot took some issue with the semantics of the reporting, the Falcons would like a team that trades for Cousins to take on a solid chunk of the money he is owed this year. But an already narrow list of possible trade destinations keeps narrowing, and the idea of a reunion with the Vikings has been put to bed with the acquisition of Sam Howell.
Cousins met with Atlanta owner Arthur Blank in early March and asked to be moved (traded or cut) before the full extent of his money for 2025 became guaranteed.
Atlanta Falcons are learning the Kirk Cousins lesson the Minnesota Vikings know all too well
For the Falcons and Cousins, patience may be a virtue. If a team loses its starting quarterback between now and Week 1, desperation would create an opportunity for Cousins and potentially the offloading of money the Falcons are looking for.
The Vikings gave Cousins a no-trade clause in his original contract with them, and they did it again in the contract extension they gave him in 2022. Trade speculation surfaced when the Vikings started the 2023 season 1-4, and Cousins made it clear he was not inclined to waive that no-trade clause.
Of course, the Vikings then won five in a row, with Cousins suffering the aforementioned Achilles' tear in the third win of that streak, before losing six of seven to end the season at 7-10.
Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer recently took a fresh look at Cousins' situation, including a note about the Vikings choosing Howell as a "much cheaper alternative."
If Aaron Rodgers decides not to join the Pittsburgh Steelers, they would be an easy destination for Cousins. Otherwise, he's likely stuck with the Falcons until further notice with the trade deadline as the obvious latest point he could be moved.
With that no-trade clause in mind, Breer offered an aspect of dealing with Cousins that the Vikings are surely glad to be done with.
"And there’s a chance that Cousins wouldn’t want to uproot his family—and could thus block a trade if he doesn’t like the destination."
Having the power to block a trade is one thing, but if a clear opportunity to be moved does come, it'd be quintessential Cousins to prevent it because he "wouldn't want to uproot his family" and/or "if he doesn't like the destination."
The family thing is understandable, if a bit flimsy with the nature of NFL business and in light of Cousins asking out of Atlanta. The destination thing would likely be moot, since a team who'd trade for Cousins would likely be in a circumstance where he'd be their starter.
Things somehow always get complicated with Cousins, dating back to the start of his career with Washington and the franchise tag dance that was done when he hit free agency for the first time. The Vikings had six years of those complications and got off the carousel when the opportunity came.
The Falcons are now in the midst of learning that hard lesson, with no easy path to move on, and Cousins able to throw a wrench into things if a path to move on does come.