The Atlanta Falcons have been desperately searching for help at wide receiver across the last few weeks, and finally managed to rectify that need. In the Falcons' 24-10 victory over the New Orleans Saints in Week 12, Kirk Cousins shined in his first start since Michael Penix Jr.'s season-ending injury.
Shortly after the victory, the Dirty Birds managed to affirm their faith in the 37-year-old as their QB1 by adding some receiver help. It was reported that the Falcons are signing veteran receiver K.J. Osborn to the practice squad, a wideout who has no shortage of familiarity (and rapport) with Cousins.
Osborn and Cousins played together for four seasons in Minnesota, but the 28-year-old only started in three of those. However, across those three seasons the pair connected for 1,845 receiving and 15 touchdowns, so a banged-up receiver room is paving the way for Osborn to have a real role in Atlanta.
Falcons sign a former teammate of Kirk Cousins to bolster the receiver room
After spending 2024 with the Patriots and Commanders, the Miami product caught just seven passes for 57 yards across eight games, most of which came in New England. He was a casualty of Washington's summer roster cuts this past August, and hasn't appeared in a game all season long.
Despite the Falcons missing Drake London on Sunday, the four-time Pro Bowler completed 16 of 23 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns, while his interception was by no fault of his own. And with the team forced to turn to him with Penix nursing another torn ACL, he managed to prove Raheem Morris right for believing in him.
The veteran signal-caller dazzled while throwing to Darnell Mooney and David Sills, which made the performance all the more impressive. However, Casey Washington was a surprising healthy scratch, but if London can't go against the Jets or Washington is cut, Osborn could see meaningful snaps.
As long as Atlanta is missing their WR1, Mooney, Sills, and KhaDarrel Hodge are expected to see the lion's share of the snaps at receiver for Zac Robinson's offense. But bringing in a receiver Cousins has established rapport with is the perfect way to continue elevating an offense that's struggled this year.
Fans have been clamoring for Morris and Terry Fontenot to address the lack of receiver depth for weeks, so this is the fix everyone's been waiting for. Here's hoping that chemistry from a few years ago will be able to translate into 2025. But regardless, there's more reason to believe in Captain Kirk.