Grading every move Falcons made during first wave of free agency

For better or for worse, the Falcons have certainly put their stamp on the offseason.

It's hard to argue any team has been busier than Atlanta during the first week of free agency, with the Falcons overhauling how their offense will look under new head coach Raheem Morris and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson. Like most big move in free agency, the signings don't come without their fair share of risk though, and there's a non-zero possibility that we look back on some of these moves in a much more pessimistic light over the next couple years.

But we'll cross that bridge when we get there – for now, here's how the team's 2023 offseason has graded out so far.

Grading every move Falcons made during first wave of free agency

1. Kirk Cousins, QB, Minnesota Vikings

Deal: Four-years, $180 million ($100 million)
Grade: B

We'll start with the obvious: the Falcons needed a quarterback. Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke weren't getting it done, and there are simply too many dynamic offensive players on Atlanta's roster to waste prime years of their careers with middling, career-backup QBs.

Most NFL teams wish they could have a roster full of Drake Londons, Bijan Robinsons, and Kyle Pitts, so the fact that Atlanta has all three only emphasizes how important getting the QB situation right is.

Cousins' production speaks for itself – he's been one of the best 10 QBs in the NFL over his time in Minnesota, and the Falcons know, more or less, what type of player they're getting.

But guaranteeing one hundred million dollars to a 35-year old quarterback coming off a serious achilles injury is a steep price to pay for that peace of mind. And, frankly, it's not like this has happened to Cousins before – no one can say with any real certainty that he's going to bounce back and be the 2022 Cousins that was throwing for 4500+ yards and 30 touchdowns. It's a big, necessary swing, but it's hard to blame Falcons fans for being nervous about it.