Ex-Vikings QB Kirk Cousins Dealt Dire Career Update

 
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Kirk Cousins #18 of the Atlanta Falcons throws a pass against the Minnesota Vikings.
Coming off an Achilles injury last season, former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins did not look the same for the Atlanta Falcons.

He threw a career-high 16 interceptions in 14 games before the Falcons benched him for rookie Michael Penix Jr. It was a drastic decline from the 36-year-old quarterback who started the year 6-3, throwing for 17 touchdowns and 7 interceptions before throwing nine interceptions and just one touchdown in his final five starts.

In The Athletic’s annual quarterback tiers rankings, compiled from votes and testimonies from 50 NFL coaches and executives, one coach argued defenses found better ways to get after Cousins.

” ‘The things they did to keep him clean in the past, he could not do,’ a defensive coordinator said, referring to formations and plays putting the quarterback on the move,” Sando wrote.

However, the more concerning question is how much the injury and decline have affected Cousins’ confidence, as he is slated to be a backup to Penix after 10 seasons being a Week 1 starter.

“His arm strength was not great and has fallen off a little more,” a former GM told Sando. “I think that affected his confidence. Is that the injury, or is that him declining?”

At times perceived as an overthinker, Cousins facing questions about his confidence from someone close to the league is a concern for his future, as others in positions to make decisions could wonder the same.

 
Kirk Cousins Comeback Year is Hindered By Falcons
It wasn’t all concern for Cousins, who one coach said he believed he could have a comeback.

The problem? Cousins does not have a route to playing time currently.

“I look at [Aaron] Rodgers and Kirk Cousins similarly, as older players coming off the Achilles,” an offensive coach told Sando. “If Cousins were starting in Atlanta, I would say Kirk would have a bounce-back year. I think Aaron will bounce back. Both will be healthier, and if that’s the case, we will see the arm talent more.”

 
Kirk Cousins, Vikings Reunion Remains a Back-Burner Idea
As the Vikings had questions about their backup quarterback situation with Sam Howell before the start of the preseason, Cousins’ name emerged as a potential target.

“I don’t think it’s impossible,” Minnesota Star Tribune beat reporter Ben Goessling said on the “Access Vikings” podcast. “There’s still a very good relationship between Kirk Cousins and Kevin O’Connell. They are still friends. They are still, I think, in contact at times.

However, there were several factors impacting Cousins’ landing in Minnesota: his health, his massive contract and any friction that could arise in the locker room with J.J. McCarthy the assumed leader and starter.

“It’s not his team anymore,” Goessling added. “I think everybody would have to be on the same page about what roles are and what expectations are. That would be the biggest hurdle, and I think the optics of that would be tricky as well.”

Howell has since sequestered some speculation of adding another quarterback by turning in a strong performance against the Houston Texans on Saturday.
Trevor Squire is a sports journalist covering the NFL and NBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota Timberwolves and Milwaukee Bucks. Trevor studied journalism at the University of Minnesota — Twin Cities, making stops at the Star Tribune and the St. Paul Pioneer Press. You can reach him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @trevordsquire. More about Trevor Squire