Jeremy Fowler of ESPN is completing his annual rankings of the best players at each position by polling NFL execs, coaches, and scouts. At the end of the series, I will compile a list of where each Falcons player appears but will single out the most important position in the sport — quarterback and Kirk Cousins.
Atlanta’s $180 million signal caller didn’t crack the top 10. Cousins was mentioned among the honorable mentions, though:
Cousins might have flirted with the MVP had he stayed healthy for 17 games. He was pacing for 5,000 yards and 38 touchdowns before going down midseason with an Achilles tear. His completion percentage of 69.5% was 4.6 percentage points higher than expected. Cousins ranked fourth in QBR inside the pocket (68.1), which is on brand for the pure pocket passer who turns 36 in August.
“He’s proven he can be elite,” said an NFL offensive coach who voted Cousins in the top 10. “From ’21 to now he’s basically been that. The [Vikings] had no chance without him last year.”
I certainly don’t take issue with this ranking. I wouldn’t consider Kirk Cousins a top 10 quarterback in the league, especially coming off an Achilles injury. Now, if he replicates the start he had last season, I’ll start to come around on him as a top 10 player at his position, but we are in wait-and-see mode currently.
Among the honorable mentions, Kirk Cousins is joined by Trevor Lawrence, Tua Tagovailoa, Jalen Hurts, Jordan Love, and Brock Purdy. That’s good company if you’re a Falcons fan.
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Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire
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