The Falcons easily experienced the most dramatic improvement at the quarterback position this offseason, going from Desmond Ridder to Kirk Cousins.
The former third-round pick’s poor play cost Arthur Smith his job last year, and the new regime didn’t mess around this time, inking Cousins to a $180 million deal in free agency while also investing in the future by taking Michael Penix with their top draft pick.
The Falcons quite literally went from one of the least stable quarterbacks to the most stable. Cousins isn’t the best by any means, but he’s head and shoulders better than what the club had last year.
If you ask CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin, Kirk Cousins is slightly better than league average, 14th in the NFL and 6th in the NFC.
Under pressure to make good on his big free-agent deal after the Falcons ‘ surprise first-round pick of Michael Penix Jr. , Cousins adds much-needed reliability to an ascending Atlanta squad. Going on 36 and coming off an Achilles tear, he still projects as a steady play-action rifle.
Below is the full list:
- Patrick Mahomes
- Brock Purdy
- Josh Allen
- Joe Burrow
- C.J. Stroud
- Lamar Jackson
- Jalen Hurts
- Dak Prescott
- Justin Herbert
- Jordan Love
- Aaron Rodgers
- Tua Tagovailoa
- Jared Goff
- Kirk Cousins
- Trevor Lawrence
- Matthew Stafford
- Deshaun Watson
- Geno Smith
- Russell Wilson
- Baker Mayfield
- Kyler Murray
- Will Levis
- Caleb Williams
- Anthony Richardson
- J.J. McCarthy
- Derek Carr
- Jacoby Brissett
- Jayden Daniels
- Gardner Minshew
- Bo Nix
- Bryce Young
- Daniel Jones
I actually don’t think this is a horrible list, which is a pleasant surprise because most of the time they’re garbage.
Cousins is arguably a top 5 quarterback in the conference. He was certainly one of the best signal callers across the entire league last year before his season ending injury.
Granted, an Achilles injury isn’t exactly a given to come back from, but Cousins was never a mobile quarterback. He should be just fine behind a solid offensive line with plenty of weapons to distribute the ball.
The fact is the NFC is wide open, and the Falcons have one of the best signal callers in the conference. They’ll have a shot.
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Photographer: Larry Radloff/Icon Sportswire
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