NFL execs leave Falcons' Kirk Cousins off list of top 10 quarterbacks

Is Kirk Cousins one of the top 10 quarterbacks in the NFL? The Atlanta Falcons are betting on it after signing Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract on the opening day of free agency.

While there’s no doubt the veteran QB is a massive upgrade over what the Falcons had last season, that doesn’t mean he’s an elite player. Those around the league seem to have varying opinions about where Cousins ranks among the top quarterbacks.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler polled NFL execs, scouts and coaches to determine the top 10 players at each position. Fowler’s quarterback rankings came out on Monday and Cousins did not crack the top 10. Although, the Falcons QB was included in the honorable mentions:

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.” — Jeremy Fowler, ESPN

The consensus on Cousins is that he’s a good quarterback but not quite in that elite group at the top. However, the former Vikings QB has shown more consistency than some of the players ranked above him. For example, someone like Justin Herbert has incredible upside but he’s still relatively unproven compared to Cousins.

Over his 12 years in the NFL, Cousins has passed for 39,471 yards, 270 touchdowns, and 110 interceptions for a career passer rating of 98.2. He regularly tosses for around 30 touchdown passes per year and has never thrown more than 14 interceptions in a single season.

If the Falcons can have some playoff success over the next few years, it would go a long way in cementing Cousins’ legacy and perception around the league.