Kirk Cousins rumors: NFC franchise emerge as favorites to land Vikings QB in free agency if he leaves Minnesota

The immediate playing future of Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins is up in the air as the veteran is set to become a free agent. What makes Cousins' future even murkier is the salary that he would command.

Per spotrac.com, his market value is $39 million APY, which is a significant chunk, but will teams be willing to pay that to an aging quarterback who is coming off an Achilles injury?

The answer to that is an overwhelming yes. Per Yahoo Sports, the Atlanta Falcons are the favorites to land Kirk Cousins.

So if Cousins is to leave the Vikings this offseason, then it appears that the NFC Falcons are going to be the hot favorites to land his signature. With a host of talented players, most notably Bijan Robinson and Kyle Pitts, Cousins would be a huge upgrade over Desmond Ridder.

Whether or not the Falcons would want to stump up the cash to lure Cousins is unknown, but there's no smoke without fire, and it appears that the Cousins leaving Minnesota rumors are beginning to gather pace.

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Could Kirk Cousins really leave Minnesota?

Minnesota Vikings v Green Bay Packers

Given the current market for quarterbacks, the Vikings might not pay Kirk Cousins in excess of $39 million APY as they also have to pay receiver Justin Jefferson top-of-the-market money.

Prior to his Achilles injury, Cousins had the Vikings at 4-4 and had thrown for 2,331 yards, 18 touchdowns and five interceptions.

Whether the Vikings see a 35-year-old quarterback who is coming off an Achilles injury as the player to take them forward for the next couple of seasons or not will likely play a big role in negotiations.

Also, with the Vikings having the 11th overall pick in the draft, a couple of young quarterbacks could fall into their lap as well if they are looking for a replacement.

Either way, the Vikings have a decision to make on Kirk Cousins, and with the new league year beginning on March 13, fans won't have too long to wait to find out the team's intentions.