Kirk Cousins signing with Falcons rumors are heating up at NFL Scouting Combine

On Thursday, multiple rumors indicated that the Atlanta Falcons would like to sign Minnesota Vikings veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins this offseason.

On Tuesday, Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah both shared their desire for the team to re-sign Kirk Cousins this year.

So, yes, it at least sounds like the Vikings would like to bring back Cousins as the team's starting quarterback for at least one more season. But just because Minnesota's leadership wants the veteran passer to re-sign with the team, it absolutely does not mean that the quarterback remaining with the Vikings this year is everything just short of a guarantee.

Instead, some new rumors popped up on Thursday about a team from the NFC South wanting to pursue Cousins in free agency this offseason.

Steam about Kirk Cousins leaving the Minnesota Vikings for the Atlanta Falcons picking up

To kick off his radio show on KFXN-FM on Thursday, Vikings play-by-play announcer Paul Allen shared that "late steam arrived" on Wednesday that the Atlanta Falcons "covet Cousins more than [Justin] Fields]" this year.

In addition to what Allen shared, Zach Klein of WSB-TV in Atlanta said the following on Thursday during an appearance on the "Dukes & Bell" show on the Atlanta radio station 92.9 The Game.

"All eyes, all arrows, everything points towards [the Falcons signing] Kirk Cousins – and [Atlanta owner] Arthur Blank has basically told his front office that. Do what you’ve got to do, pay what you’ve got to pay, get it done.

So, everybody I’ve talked to [at the Combine] – agents, other coaches and scouts, guys around the league – that’s the feeling that they are saying. What they are hearing is that the Falcons will put all their attention on Kirk Cousins moving forward."

Now, if anyone is unfamiliar with the NFL offseason, we are currently at the point where there are a ton of rumors about everything heading into free agency and the NFL Draft.

So, say what you will about what Klein shared, but the fact that Allen, an actual employee of the Vikings, shared the info about Atlanta preferring to sign Cousins over trading for Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields is something that doesn't seem like it should be ignored.

The Falcons currently have a little more than $38 million in cap space, which is more than enough to make an enticing offer to Cousins in free agency. Plus, the current Minnesota quarterback has worked with new Atlanta head coach Raheem Morris in the past when the two were both a part of the Washington Commanders.

The dots are there to connect Cousins to the Falcons this offseason. We just all have to wait and find out if Atlanta's interest in the Pro Bowl quarterback is legitimate or if it's just another example of a bogus rumor to come out of the NFL Scouting Combine.