Kirk Cousins Current Contract and Annual Salary
Kirk Cousins signed a three-year, $84 million extension with the Atlanta Falcons in 2024, with $54 million fully guaranteed at signing. His average annual salary under the current deal is $28 million, making him one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL. The contract includes a $28 million signing bonus and escalators tied to playing time and snaps. This structure reflects the Falcons' commitment to building around him as the franchise quarterback. For context on how this compares to other top NFL earners, see the latest NFL salary rankings on Forbes.
The deal covers the 2024, 2025, and 2026 seasons, with a $34 million cap hit in 2024 that decreases slightly in the following years. His base salary for the 2024 season is set at $28 million, with additional roster bonuses and incentives. The guaranteed money provides financial security regardless of performance or injury. This contract places him firmly in the elite tier of quarterback compensation across all professional sports leagues.
Kirk Cousins Salary History and Earnings Breakdown
Before joining the Falcons, Cousins earned $28 million per year with the Minnesota Vikings on a four-year deal signed in 2018. That contract was fully guaranteed and made him the first quarterback to earn a fully guaranteed $28 million average annual value. His total earnings with the Vikings over four seasons exceeded $112 million in base salary. During his time with the Vikings, he consistently ranked among the top five highest-paid quarterbacks in the league.
Prior to the Vikings, Cousins signed a one-year, $28 million deal with the Washington Redskins in 2018, which included $24 million in guarantees. His earlier contracts with the Redskins and brief stint with the Arizona Cardinals established him as a top-tier free agent. Each move in his career reflected a significant step-up in guaranteed money and average annual value. His cumulative career earnings have surpassed $250 million in base salary across all NFL contracts.
Contract Structure and Financial Details
The Falcons' contract uses a standard NFL structure with a large signing bonus, base salary, and roster bonuses. The signing bonus of $28 million is prorated over the life of the contract for cap purposes. Base salary increases slightly each year, with the final year of the deal carrying the highest cap number. Incentive clauses allow for additional earnings based on performance metrics and playing time thresholds.
Dead money and cap implications are minimal due to the structure of the extension. The Falcons absorbed most of the dead money from his previous deal when executing the trade and extension. This made the immediate cap impact manageable despite the large guarantees. For detailed contract breakdowns and cap figures, the Overthecap database provides comprehensive salary cap information.
Key Financial Metrics
The guaranteed money in the current deal totals $54 million, with the full $84 million in total contract value. His cap hit in the first year is $34 million, which includes the prorated signing bonus and base salary. Future cap hits are projected to decrease slightly as the contract progresses. The average annual value of $28 million places him among the top five highest-paid players in the NFL by total compensation.
Cap Hits and Guarantees
The 2024 cap hit of $34 million includes $28 million in base salary and $6 million in prorated bonus. The 2025 and 2026 cap hits are projected at $31 million and $29 million respectively. All $54 million in guarantees are fully guaranteed at signing, meaning the Falcons owe him this money regardless of roster decisions. This level of security is rare for quarterbacks and reflects the market value Cousins commands as a proven starter.