DONE DEAL: Vinkings FINALLY WON THE MATCH OF SIGN…..
Quarterback Kirk Cousins recorded a video farewell to Minnesota after officially signing a four-year, $180 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons on Wednesday afternoon. Cousins agreed to the contract on Monday, choosing Atlanta’s offer — with a reported guarantee of $100 million for the 35-year-old coming back from a torn right Achilles — over a similar deal from the Vikings. “Today’s a little bit of a bittersweet day for me. I’m in Atlanta now and a little later today I’m going to be signing a contract with the Falcons to officialize the agreement we made,” Cousins said. “But that also means I’ve got to say goodbye to Minnesota and the Minnesota Vikings. That’s what makes today tough.”
Cousins offered direct thanks to “tremendous teammates, coaches, support staff, management and ownership of the Minnesota Vikings for the way they’ve come along side me and supported me. … I had great people around me. I don’t take that for granted. It was a privilege to be quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings. “I’d also just like to say thank you to the people in Minnesota, the people in the Twin Cities and the people we did life with on a daily basis.” Cousins jumps into the QB1 role with the Falcons, who hired Raheem Morris as head coach to run a form of the same offense the Vikings ran the past two seasons under head coach Kevin O’Connell.
The Vikings agreed to a one-year, $10 million deal with Sam Darnold to fill the spot Cousins vacated. The Vikings are re-signing wide receiver and punt returner Brandon Powell to a one-year, $2 million contract, according to multiple media reports. Powell, 28, posted career bests with 29 receptions for 324 yards along with one touchdown in 17 games (two starts) last season as he helped out in the absence of injured star receiver Justin Jefferson. Powell also returned a league-high 37 punts for 289 yards, a 7.8 average.