Kirk Cousins‘ stint in Atlanta will doubtless final one season. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, there’s an expectation that the Falcons will reduce the veteran quarterback earlier than he’s owed his $10M roster bonus in mid-March. Some sources described the upcoming divorce as “inevitable.”
The Falcons made one of many greatest strikes of this previous offseason once they inked the free agent QB to a four-year, $180M deal. A month later, the group shocked the league once they added one other quarterback in Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth-overall choose. 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 group 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 most likely wouldn’t be on the roster for the 2025 marketing campaign. Whereas slicing the veteran isn’t the group’s solely possibility, it looks like the most definitely. As Schefter notes, there’s a perception that the Falcons wouldn’t have the ability to discover a commerce suitor for his or her latest 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 consider Cousins could have been extra prepared to work with the Falcons entrance workplace on a commerce had the group dealt with issues in another way this previous offseason (per Schefter). Cousins reportedly had no concept that the Falcons would use the eighth-overall choose on a QB till they referred to as Cousins on draft night time, and whereas the free agent prize has remained skilled, his camp clearly wasn’t proud of the group’s draft-night method.
Cousins will probably be locked into his totally 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 choose up many of the tab on his 2025 earnings). We noticed an analogous state of affairs play out final offseason with Russell Wilson. Greg Auman of FOX Sports notes that the Falcons might try and 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 might 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 offers the entrance workplace with some flexibility. Nevertheless, 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 most likely gained’t costume Cousins for the stretch run as they give the impression of being to keep away from an harm. So, in all probability, Cousins has already made his remaining look with the Falcons group. As ESPN’s Field Yates notes, the veteran will in the end earn practically $90M in money for simply 14 begins. In his comeback from a torn Achilles, Cousins related 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 doubtless be one of many greatest names on the free agent marketplace for a second-straight offseason. With the likes of Sam Darnold and Wilson presently 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.
