Kirk Cousins‘ stint in Atlanta will possible final one season. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, there’s an expectation that the Falcons will minimize the veteran quarterback earlier than he’s owed his $10M roster bonus in mid-March. Some sources described the approaching divorce as “inevitable.”
The Falcons made one of many greatest strikes of this previous offseason after they inked the free agent QB to a four-year, $180M deal. A month later, the group shocked the league after they added one other quarterback in Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth-overall decide. Cousins was naturally given the primary shot to run with the job, however he’s struggled mightily over the previous month-plus. Since Week 10, Cousins has tossed just one landing vs. 9 interceptions, and the staff lastly introduced that they have been pivoting to their rookie for Week 16.
By shifting Penix to the highest of the depth chart, the Falcons signaled that Cousins in all probability wouldn’t be on the roster for the 2025 marketing campaign. Whereas reducing the veteran isn’t the staff’s solely choice, it looks like the most definitely. As Schefter notes, there’s a perception that the Falcons wouldn’t be capable to discover a commerce suitor for his or her current acquisition.
Cousins has a no-trade clause, and assuming he’s not significantly proud of how issues have performed out in Atlanta, it’s understood that the QB gained’t “be doing any favors” for the Falcons by waiving that NTC. Certainly, some sources imagine Cousins could have been extra keen to work with the Falcons entrance workplace on a commerce had the group dealt with issues in a different way this previous offseason (per Schefter). Cousins reportedly had no concept that the Falcons would use the eighth-overall decide on a QB till they referred to as Cousins on draft evening, and whereas the free agent prize has remained skilled, his camp clearly wasn’t proud of the staff’s draft-night strategy.
Cousins can be locked into his absolutely assured 2025 $27.5M wage no matter his roster standing in Atlanta. So, when he’s ultimately launched, he can catch on with one other squad for the minimal (whereas making the Falcons decide up a lot of the tab on his 2025 earnings). We noticed an identical situation play out final offseason with Russell Wilson. Greg Auman of FOX Sports notes that the Falcons may try to convert a few of his wage right into a bonus, making a commerce extra palatable. Nonetheless, that route would require Cousins to work with the Falcons, and even then, it’s unsure if a suitor would emerge regardless of a decrease hypothetical monetary dedication.
The Falcons may additionally merely preserve Cousins on the roster for the 2025 marketing campaign. As a Falcons official famous to Schefter, Penix’s $5.2M wage for the 2025 marketing campaign gives the entrance workplace with some flexibility. Nonetheless, contemplating how issues have developed with the veteran, it appears unlikely that the Falcons would willingly arrange a QB competitors.
If the Falcons are hoping to keep away from that $10M assure, Auman believes the group in all probability gained’t gown Cousins for the stretch run as they give the impression of being to keep away from an harm. So, in all chance, Cousins has already made his last look with the Falcons group. As ESPN’s Field Yates notes, the veteran will in the end earn almost $90M in money for simply 14 begins. In his comeback from a torn Achilles, Cousins linked on 66.9 p.c of his passes for 3,508 yards, 18 touchdowns and a league-leading 16 interceptions.
Regardless of the worrisome drop in manufacturing, Cousins will possible be one of many greatest names on the free agent marketplace for a second-straight offseason. With the likes of Sam Darnold and Wilson at present sitting atop the anticipated QB class, Cousins shouldn’t struggled to discover a suitor…particularly when you think about that his subsequent squad gained’t have to interrupt the financial institution to signal him to a one-year pact.
