The Minnesota Vikings have been reshaping their roster this offseason, and it could all be leading up to a move for Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins—bringing him back in Vikings colors.
Cousins, a four-time Pro Bowler, is in the second year of a four-year, $180 million contract and has earned nearly $294 million over his career.
Despite the big deal, his first year with Atlanta ended with him on the bench.
“Privately, [the Falcons] have talked with teams and asked for a hefty return,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on April 21. “They’ve requested that any team trading for Cousins cover $20 million of the $45 million in guarantees still owed. So far, no team has agreed—and none are expected to.”
There is, however, speculation that a team like the Vikings or Steelers could be open to picking up around $10 million of that amount.
Cousins, who will turn 37 in August, finished the 2024 season with a 7-7 record as Atlanta’s starter. He opened strong with a 6-3 start, but a four-game skid followed. Over those nine games, he threw for 2,328 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions while completing 69.2% of his passes.
After a Week 15 win against the Raiders, the Falcons benched him in favor of rookie first-rounder Michael Penix Jr. In his final five starts, Cousins threw for 1,180 yards, 1 touchdown, and 9 interceptions, with a 61.2% completion rate.
Vikings Trade Pitch Finds Common Ground With Falcons for Kirk Cousins
Adam Schefter noted that the amount a team is willing to pay for a player often impacts the draft compensation involved — the more a team pays, the less it might have to give up in draft picks, and vice versa. With Kirk Cousins holding a no-trade clause, both he and the Falcons understand that their futures likely lie apart, and the direction things take could hinge heavily on how the draft unfolds.
Looking ahead to the draft, the Falcons’ most pressing need is help on the edge. They haven’t had a single player record at least seven sacks in a season for the past five years — something no other NFL team has endured since 1982.
A proposed trade from Heavy Sports aims to tackle that need for the Falcons while also easing the financial and roster burden for the Vikings, who would be taking on salary and potentially sacrificing other assets in a Cousins deal.
Trade Proposal:
To Vikings:
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Kirk Cousins
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2027 seventh-round pick
To Falcons:
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Gabriel Murphy
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2027 conditional sixth-round pick (could upgrade to a fourth-rounder based on Cousins’ playing time)
Murphy, an undrafted rookie in 2024, didn’t notch any sacks in his first year, but he brings versatility and would be a low-risk depth option. His addition wouldn’t stop the Falcons from further pursuing pass-rushers.
Ultimately, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell — a strong advocate for second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy — will likely have major input on whether a QB trade, including one involving Cousins, moves forward. Their connection may carry more weight than either recent events or Cousins’ prior time in Minnesota.
Former HC Pushes Kirk Cousins’ Return to Vikings
The possibility of Kirk Cousins returning to the Vikings might not be as unlikely as it appears, even though he left in free agency after Minnesota chose to take a year-to-year approach with him while drafting a quarterback.
Despite signing Cousins, Atlanta still selected a quarterback in the draft, and Minnesota turned to Sam Darnold as their starter after J.J. McCarthy sustained a season-ending knee injury.
That role could have belonged to Cousins, and former NFL head coach Eric Mangini thinks a reunion is possible.
“They’re clearly taking a gamble with McCarthy — the real risk came when they drafted him,” Mangini said on First Things First on April 15. “They’re now giving it time to see how he develops. But there’s a twist: Minnesota couldn’t realistically trade for Cousins until after June 1 because Atlanta would take a major cap hit. After that date, it becomes much more manageable.”
Mangini noted that Cousins had strong ties with the city and coaching staff, which could influence his thinking. “He might feel that returning gives him the best shot at success,” Mangini said. “He could walk in saying he’s not trying to start, but deep down, he may believe he can outplay McCarthy. And even if not, he’s back in a familiar and supportive setting with a guaranteed salary.”
If the Vikings were to trade for Cousins, they’d be taking on a contract worth $90 million over two years — $10 million of which would be due immediately, and another $10 million in March 2026, according to Spotrac’s Michael Ginnitti.