Four potential landing spots for Kirk Cousins if he leaves Vikings

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins is perhaps the most intriguing free agent hitting the market this offseason after his stellar 2023 season was cut short due to an Achilles tear.

At the time of his injury, Cousins ranked second in the NFL in passing yards (2,331) and was tied for the lead in touchdown passes (18) while throwing just five interceptions. Nevertheless, since Cousins turns 36 in August and is coming off one of the most significant injuries an athlete can suffer, there's no guarantee he'll finish out his career in Minnesota.

Should Cousins leave the Vikings, here are four teams that could be a fit for the four-time Pro Bowler. 

Atlanta Falcons

After posting six consecutive losing seasons, the Falcons are entering a pivotal offseason, and one of their major changes may turn out to be hiring former Patriots HC Bill Belichick. Due to the buzz surrounding Belichick potentially heading to Atlanta, Cousins was recently asked by CBS Sports' Isabel Gonzalez whether he'd ever play for the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach and didn't rule out the possibility.

"I'm not going to turn down an opportunity to play with a future Hall of Fame coach," Cousins said last week. "But we'll have to see where March leads. There's just a lot of unknowns right now."

With an array of talented offensive weapons coupled with a solid defense, the Falcons could finally clinch their first NFC South title since 2016 if they sign Cousins and he returns to form. After all, the team lost six one-possession games this season with underwhelming options Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke at quarterback. 

Las Vegas Raiders 

Last week, the Raiders correctly chose to remove the interim tag and hire Antonio Pierce as their head coach. Under Pierce, the Raiders' defense became one of the NFL's top units, allowing the fewest points per game (16) and scoring the most defensive touchdowns (four). However, the offense was inconsistent with rookie fourth-rounder Aidan O'Connell at quarterback, and Las Vegas would be foolish not to upgrade the position this offseason. 

Even so, since the Raiders hold the 13th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, it might be difficult for them to land a long-term answer at the position this offseason. Yet, by signing Cousins to lead a roster filled with talented veterans, the Raiders could compete for a wild-card spot for the foreseeable future.

It also doesn't hurt that Cousins already has the support of his would-be No. 1 target in WR Davante Adams, who named the impending free agent his top quarterback, not named Aaron Rodgers, he'd like to play with. Owner Mark Davis listened to the input of his players when hiring Pierce; perhaps he'll do the same with Cousins. 

New England Patriots 

Although New England could easily address the quarterback position by selecting one with the third overall pick in April's draft, it doesn't exactly have the ideal personnel to support a rookie. What the Patriots do have is the fourth-most projected cap space in the NFL ($66.1M), which new HC Jerod Mayo says they're "ready to burn." 

Cousins likely won't come cheap in terms of his upcoming contract's average annual value, but it's hard to imagine he'd sign a deal that would last longer than three seasons. Pro Football Focus projects Cousins to ink a two-year, $60M contract with $37.5M guaranteed in free agency. Signing Cousins to this type of deal would be relatively low risk for the Patriots and provide them with flexibility on what to do with their quarterback situation in the future.

This scenario could also open the door for New England to select Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr., one of the best wide receiver prospects to ever enter the NFL Draft. Cousins helped superstar WR Justin Jefferson become a second-team All-Pro selection as a rookie. Who's to say Harrison couldn't have similar results if he were catching passes from the veteran signal-caller? 

Pittsburgh Steelers 

Considering the Steelers stuck with QB Mason Rudolph for their run to the playoffs while Kenny Pickett was healthy, it's safe to say the 2022 first-rounder's days in Pittsburgh are numbered. Assuming Cousins is healthy enough to replicate the success he had this season in 2024, there might not be a team whose ceiling he can raise as high as Pittsburgh's.

That's not to say Cousins would make Pittsburgh Super Bowl contenders, but he could help restore a franchise that hasn't won a playoff game since the 2016 AFC divisional round back to its winning ways. 

The Steelers' offense ranked 28th in points and 25th in yards per game this season despite having talented pass-catchers in Diontae Johnson and George Pickens, along with one of the NFL's better-rushing tandems. There's no excuse for Pittsburgh to waste another season with mediocre quarterbacking.