The Atlanta Falcons impressed bookmakers with their move to sign QB Kirk Cousins.
The biggest free-agent quarterback domino fell on Monday afternoon, as former Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins signed a massive four-year deal, worth $180 million (with $100 million guaranteed, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter) with the Atlanta Falcons.
The Falcons had inconsistent play (to be generous) from QBs Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinecke last season, so Cousins should be a big upgrade.
At BetMGM, Atlanta’s Super Bowl odds moved from 50-1 to 30-1 after the Cousins signing.
“The sharps loved the Falcons last year, thinking Ridder would make a jump,” Christian Cipollini, trader at BetMGM, told For The Win. “He obviously didn’t, but there’s talent on the roster (and a bad division, too).”
The Falcons are the consensus favorite to win the NFC South at sportsbooks as well, with +100 odds at BetMGM (followed by the Bucs at +260 and Saints at +300).
“We went from 40-1 to 30-1 in the Super Bowl futures,” Adam Pullen, assistant director of trading at Caesars Sportsbook told For The Win. “You knew the Falcons were going to be in the market for a new QB, so the 40-1 was based on them surely making a move. Obviously an upgrade in the position from last year.”
Several other oddsmakers concurred that it was a massive upgrade for Atlanta at QB and a winnable NFC South, but questions do remain about Cousins — not the least about his health coming off a torn Achilles.
“He’s an upgrade on what they had,” Ed Salmons, vice president of risk at SuperBook Sports told For The Win. “But he’s never shown to be able to beat playoff teams. They will be the NFC South favorites, but we need to see what Tampa Bay and New Orleans do.”
