Will Falcons revisit trading Kirk Cousins with Michael Penix Jr. still starting?

Some understandably wondered after Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris benched starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. during the Week 3 matchup against the Carolina Panthers if Morris could eventually insert veteran Kirk Cousins back into the lineup. 

However, such chatter quieted down after Penix completed 20-of-26 passes for a career-high 313 yards with two touchdowns and one interception in Atlanta's 34-27 win over the Washington Commanders that improved the Falcons to 2-2 this past Sunday. 

For an article published on Wednesday, ESPN NFL insider Dan Graziano addressed whether or not the Falcons could revisit acquiring a future draft asset for Cousins' services before the Nov. 4 trade deadline arrives. 

Why Falcons are still holding onto Kirk Cousins

"Atlanta is not desperate to deal him and is still asking for a relatively high price," Graziano said about Cousins. "The Falcons believe he has value as a reliable backup in case something should happen to Penix. And having been on the sideline for Sunday's game against Washington, I can tell you Cousins is one of the prominent voices in Penix's ear between possessions. He's been helpful in Penix's development and, along with offensive coordinator Zac Robinson and quarterbacks coach D.J. Williams, is a helpful extra set of eyes and ears that benefits Penix."

The Falcons are currently in their bye week and may want to see how Penix performs over his next handful of starts before they possibly look to ship Cousins out of town. According to Pro Football Reference, Penix began Wednesday ranked 26th in the league among qualified players with an 82.7 passer rating and 24th with a 62.4 percent completion percentage for the campaign. The Falcons host the Buffalo Bills (4-0) in Week 6. Atlanta will then play at the San Francisco 49ers (3-1) on Oct. 19. 

Kirk Cousins may not want to go anywhere

Cousins hoped to find a new NFL home during the offseason so that he could serve as a starter after he lost the Atlanta QB1 job to Penix last December. That said, a report from this past spring suggested that the 37-year-old may not move his family from his wife’s home state of Georgia during the season. 

He has a no-trade clause attached to his contract, while any team that acquired him this fall (such as the Cincinnati Bengals) would likely view him as only a fill-in option. For now, it sounds like the Falcons and Cousins are good with extending their working relationship through at least the Buffalo game on Oct. 13.