SUMMARY
- Kirk Cousins has reportedly signed a deal with the Atlanta Falcons.
- With Cousins departing, the Vikings have turned to Sam Darnold as his potential replacement.
Kirk Cousins is a renowned quarterback in the NFL who played for the Washington Redskins from 2012 to 2017 and for Minnesota Vikings from 2018. Every franchise is going through a rebuilding process before the beginning of the new season, and the Atlanta Falcons are not out of it.
The quarterback reportedly agreed to a deal worth $180 million with the Falcons for four years. As per the new contract, Cousins will earn a salary of $45 million per year, which includes a guaranteed $100 million and $50 million signing bonus.
With the Vikings, Cousins played 88 games and made some great contributions. Last season wasn’t memorable for the Vikings and the 35-year-old, as the franchise finished the regular season with a 7-10 and was unable to advance to the next stage.
Also read: Kirk Cousins vs Joe Burrow: Which NFL Quarterback Has Had Better Stats in 2023-24 Season?
Minnesota Vikings find Sam Darnold as Kirk Cousins’ replacement
The Vikings are searching for a replacement for Cousins after his contract expired with the franchise. The franchise found Sam Darnold as a replacement for the quarterback. Darnold almost agreed on a deal of $10 million for 1-year just. The official announcement is yet to be made.
BREAKING: Sam Darnold is signing a one year, 10 million dollar deal with the #Vikings, per NFL Network.
Minnesota has their QB1. pic.twitter.com/vkfW9ZSx5l
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) March 12, 2024
Reports claim that the announcement will be made on Wednesday, March 13, 2024. The quarterback will also reunite with Josh McCown, who is at the Vikings as the quarterback coach. With the 49ers, Darnold reached the Super Bowl LVIII but was unable to win the fixture as they fell three points short of the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Vikings will be Darnold’s fourth franchise, as before joining the 49ers, he played for the Carolina Panthers and New York Jets. Vikings fans will have to wait until the beginning of the new season to see how well Sam Darnold will replace Kirk Cousins.
Also read: Sam Darnold’s NFL Salary: How Much Does the San Francisco 49ers Quarterback Earn From His Contract?
Sam Darnold’s NFL stats
In the 2023-24 season, Darnold played only ten games for the 49ers and started only 1. The quarterback recorded 0-1 and completed 28 passes from 46 attempts. The 26-year-old also managed to cover 297 passing yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.
Darnold also attempted 21 rushes, covered 15 rushing yards, 1 touchdown, and six sacks. The quarterback’s career stats are impressive: he participated in 66 fixtures, completed 1,082 passes from 1,811 attempts, and covered 12,064 yards and 63 touchdowns.
The new signing for the Vikings also made 209 rushing attempts and covered 760 rushing yards, 13 rushing touchdowns, 149 sacks, and 38 fumbles. However, Darnold has yet to achieve the Super Bowl and any notable award and will hope to do that in the next season with the Vikings.
