Kirk Cousins Rumors: Commanders Could Join Vikings, Falcons Among FA Landing Spots

The Washington Commanders could show interest in Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins in free agency.

In an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, ESPN's Adam Schefter listed Washington as one of the potential suitors for the 35-year-old alongside the Atlanta Falcons as well as the Vikings.

"It certainly sounds like right now, Kirk Cousins will have as his primary two options Atlanta and Minnesota," Schefter said (2:15 mark). "Maybe Washington jumps in."

The Falcons certainly seem to be one of Cousins' top potential destinations, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported on Monday that the signal-caller is "seriously considering moving his family to Atlanta."

The Commanders currently have just over $91.5 million in cap space entering free agency, the second-highest amount among NFL teams (via OverTheCap.com). They could certainly afford to pay Cousins, although it's difficult to imagine the team instantly becoming a playoff contender with the four-time Pro Bowl passer after finishing with a record of 4-13 in 2023.

The dismal season contained a silver lining, as Washington currently owns the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. The Commanders could use the pick to select a quarterback prospect such as North Carolina's Drake Maye and utilize their abundance of cap space to focus on filling holes throughout the rest of the roster instead of paying Cousins.

If new general manager Adam Peters is attempting to build a win-now roster, he might choose to go after the veteran signal-caller in free agency. Cousins spent the first six years of his career in Washington, earning his first Pro Bowl nod in 2016.

He also impressed in the first half of the 2023 season before suffering a torn Achilles in Week 8 that ended his 2023 campaign. Prior to the injury, he completed 69.5 percent of his throws for 2,331 yards and 18 touchdowns compared to just five interceptions.