October 31 is often known as a day for scary ghost stories and candy. For this NFL season, Halloween is also the day of the 2023 NFL trade deadline. This day represents the last opportunity for teams to make significant additions.
Heading to next week’s deadline, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins will be a popular trade target. In Monday night’s win over the 49ers, Cousins completed 35 passes for 378 yards and two touchdowns. In seven games, Cousins has thrown 16 touchdowns and just five interceptions.
There are often quarterback-hungry teams every NFL season. One, the Atlanta Falcons, seems like a perfect fit for Cousins. Atlanta is leading the NFC South at 4-3 after a 16-13 win over the Tampa Bay Bucs. Desmond Ridder has frustrated Falcon and fantasy fans this year. Ridder has thrown for just 1,630 yards, six touchdowns, and six interceptions.
The Falcons possess one of the NFL’s highest potential offenses. Kyle Pitts, Drake London, and Bijan Robinson are three of the NFL’s exciting offensive weapons. Ridder’s mistakes and lack of an arm limit his upside.
The Falcons are in a prime position for a Cousins deal. The NFC South is wide open with no top passer in the division. The Falcons need someone who can stretch the ball down the field. The Falcons are a top-10 rushing offense. The Vikings are 30th in rushing.
The Vikings are 3-4 with little hope of catching the Detroit Lions in the NFC North. A Wild Card berth seems possible, but Minnesota would be plenty to go its way. The Vikings can set themselves up for one of next year’s college quarterbacks in April’s NFL Draft.
Some NFL media members are big Cousins believers. ESPN’s Troy Aikman believes Cousins is a top-10 passer.
"Everybody has an opinion on Kirk Cousins. He's a top ten quarterback in my book." – Troy Aikman pic.twitter.com/sS6KuLl1xG
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 24, 2023
Big quarterback deals have taken place before the deadline. In 2011, the then-Oakland Raiders acquired Carson Palmer from the Cincinnati Bengals. In 2017, the San Francisco 49ers added Jimmy Garoppolo from the New England Patriots.
Cousins seems to enjoy playing his home games inside Minnesota’s U.S. Bank Stadium. The Falcons play their home games inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Cousins would also avoid playing road divisional games in Green Bay or Chicago.
Whether you like it or not, Kirk Cousins is an efficient quarterback. He can win games. Any quarterback trade will be a major blockbuster deal. Cousins would make the Falcons a more prolific offense. The Atlanta Falcons should go after and deal for Kirk Cousins.
ATTN Dynasty Commissioners: Do you want to do something cool for your league? How about a 1-hour live show dedicated to YOUR league? Team-by-team breakdowns, rankings, and more. For details and to book a show, visit: GoingFor2.com/plp.
The GoingFor2 Live Podcast
