NFL insider drops update on Kirk Cousins’ situation with Falcons ahead of $10,000,000 decision
Despite being benched down the stretch of last season and being on massive wages, it appears the Atlanta Falcons want to move forward with Kirk Cousins. NFL insider Charles Robinson believes the team will either have the former four-time Pro Bowl quarterback as a backup next season or find a trading partner for the Michigan State product.
"I thought the Falcons were bluffing about keeping Kirk Cousins," Robinson wrote on X. "I don’t think that anymore. They’re going to roll right through the Sunday deadline to lock in another $10 million in 2026 guaranteed salary and see where this goes. Either he’s a pricey backup or a trade candidate."
If the Falcons don’t release him before Monday, March 17, they’ll be on the hook for $10 million even if Cousins doesn’t play next season or is dealt to another team.
Cousins was relegated to second string last season with coach Raheem Morris naming Michael Penix Jr. as the starter in Week 16. That announcement came after Cousins threw for a season-low 112 yards and an interception against the Las Vegas Raiders in a game the Falcons won 15-9. Cousins went 7-7 as Atlanta’s starter last season, throwing a career-high 16 interceptions.
Exactly one year ago on March 13, 2024, he officially signed a four-year $180 million contract with the Falcons. The following month, Atlanta drafted Penix Jr. eighth overall.
Why Kirk Cousins might stay?
Paying a quarterback the kind of compensation that Kirk Cousins is receiving does not appear to be money well spent, given that he is expected to spend the season on the bench.
Some rumors suggest that the Falcons may want to use him as a mentor for their new starter in the future. It's a lot of money to pay someone for that, but Cousins' relationship with Michael Penix Jr. is quite strong, according to ESPN insider Marc Raimondi.
While Cousins was brought to Atlanta to start, general manager Terry Fontenot doesn’t appear too bothered to see him continue with the Falcons in more of a mentorship role.
Now that he’s the backup, when we say we’re comfortable, we’re talking about the total funds allocated to the quarterback position, and that’s already baked in, Fontenot told ESPN.
In three starts with the Falcons last season, Penix Jr. went 1-2 while throwing for 775 yards in five appearances, with three touchdown passes and three interceptions.