When the NFL's statutory bargaining interval started on March 11 at midday EST, Atlanta Falcons normal supervisor Terry Fontenot waited one minute earlier than making his first telephone name.
In line with Sports activities Illustrated's Albert Breer, Mike McCartney, who represented free agent quarterback Kirk Cousins, made the telephone name.
“It was direct and simple,” Breer wrote. “They’d be prepared to ensure the primary two years of the contract and get within the $40 million a 12 months vary and common. They had been prepared to speak about guaranteeing a 3rd 12 months.”
“They wished Cousins they usually had been prepared to indicate it.
February 27, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Atlanta Falcons normal supervisor Terry Fontenot in the course of the NFL Scouting Mix on the Indiana Conference Middle.
Credit score: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports activities
Breer stated the dialog between Fontenot and McCartney lasted 20 minutes and left the agent feeling like he was in a very good place.
The Falcons later added $10 million in ensures to the third 12 months of the contract, enormously rising Cousins' probabilities of being Atlanta's beginning quarterback for no less than the following two seasons.
Elsewhere, McCartney related his VaynerSports accomplice, Kyle Dolan, with Falcons negotiator Chris Olsen. They agreed to phrases to offer Cousins a Tremendous Bowl incentive of $2 million every season, which precluded the requirement that Cousins win the MVP, which was a clause in his contract with the Vikings.
There's additionally a no-trade clause, the timing of Yr 3 and Yr 4 roster bonuses and the signing bonus fee on Breer.
And so, after two and a half hours of negotiations, the Falcons reduce Cousins.
However within the meantime, Atlanta stored its choices open — and had a contingency plan in place ought to it miss Cousins, beginning with former Vikings defensive finish Danielle Hunter and former Miami Dolphins defensive deal with Christian Wilkins.
“Fontenot obtained a name from David Mulugheta, Wilkins' agent, and a textual content from Zeke Sandhu, Hunter's agent, each of whom informed him they anticipated their free agent bid to succeed in and sure exceed $25 million per 12 months,” Breer wrote.
Wilkins obtained a four-year, $110 million contract from the Las Vegas Raiders, whereas Hunter signed a two-year, $49 million contract with the Houston Texans.
Atlanta was excited about Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield, however he had already agreed to a deal that introduced him again to Tampa Bay.
So Atlanta went all-in on Cousins and jettisoned their protection after which even modified their free-agent method.
“The Falcons moved away from Hunter and Wilkins to extra economical choices so as to add velocity to their younger core of ability place gamers — choosing up receiver Darnell Mooney in free company and tight finish Rondale Moore in a commerce to affix the previous high 10 picks. Kyle Pitts, Drake London and Bijan Robinson,” Breer wrote.
This was in the end the trail taken by Fontenot, head coach Raheem Morris and others … however behind the scenes, there have been in depth conversations about quarterback paths.
“One would contain an costly quarterback like Cousins or Mayfield,” Breer wrote. “The opposite would have a extra economical participant on the place, be it a rookie or a vet like Justin Fields, and extra spending on protection with the potential pursuit of stars like Hunter and Wilkins.”
In the long run, Atlanta signed Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract, securing their beginning quarterback for the foreseeable future — whereas additionally shifting away from the defense-heavy method he took final season.
