Kirk Cousins has been one of the most productive quarterbacks in the NFL since he came into the league. The four-time Pro Bowl QB has thrown for over 4,000 yards in seven of the last nine seasons, and thrown 278 touchdowns in his career. Cousins made a notable career change this offseason, signing a four-year contract for $180 million with the Atlanta Falcons.
At 36 years old and coming off an Achilles tear, there was some clear rust in Cousins’ play early on this year. In the opening week, he completed 61.5% of his passes for just 155 yards, one touchdown, and a pair of interceptions.
There have been some ups and downs but Week 5 marked the moment where things seemed to click for Cousins in a Falcons jersey. He threw for 509 yards last week against the Buccaneers, while adding four passing touchdowns. This passing total is tied for the 15th most passing yards ever thrown for in a game in NFL history.
As the season begins to hit its full stride, it is time to begin trusting Kirk Cousins.
Kirk Cousins 2024 Outlook
Now going through his 13th season in the NFL, we have a pretty clear idea of who Kirk Cousins is as a quarterback.
He does not fit the qualifications of a guy like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, or Lamar Jackson who can each serve as the engine of the offense for their team. But Kirk Cousins has proven capable of elevating the offense around him when he has reliable weapons to count on.
This is the exact situation he has walked into in Atlanta. Weapons such as Bijan Robinson, Drake London, Darnell Mooney, and Kyle Pitts headline a loaded skill position group who have failed to reach their peaks due to subpar quarterback play in past years.
Even with the struggles to start the year, Cousins ranks fifth in the NFL in passing yards, sixth in completions, and sixth in touchdown passes. The scheme and play call from head coach Raheem Morris and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson fit Cousins’ skillset.
Expect the season to continue on with Cousins’ familiarity only growing within the offense. He will not be asked to do too much and rely on the weapons around him. Currently, Cousins is averaging 2.73 seconds before release which goes a long way towards limiting hits on him as well.
Cousins will end his career with some ludicrous stats that make you question where he truly stacks up among the best quarterbacks to play the sport. He has thrown for the 22nd most yards in NFL history already and has a chance to pass quite a few names on this list as he plays out the duration of his contract.
In the more short-term view, expect Cousins to continue elevating the Falcons offense and for their peak as a team to still be on the way. He is a reliable fantasy football quarterback weekly and is a player you should monitor his player props every week. As the level of quarterback play around the NFL continues to be more and more erratic, Cousins has been a refreshing example of stability. While “game manager” is often used in an insulting way when breaking down a quarterback, Cousins has perfected this craft.
The former fourth round pick has fully found his lane as an NFL quarterback and will continue to make the Falcons better in the process.
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