Kirk Cousins agrees to modified deal with the Falcons

According to ESPN’s Field Yates, the Falcons and Kirk Cousins have agree to modify the final two years remaining on his contract.

“As part of the restructure, there is now a guarantee in the amount of $67.9 million for the 2027 season that vests on March 13,” Yates reports. “Given the highly unlikely nature that the Falcons or any team that would acquire Cousins via a trade prior to March 13 would want to be on the hook for that $67.9 million, a decision on Cousins’ future could come prior to that date.”

This essentially guarantees Cousins will be released, most likely with a post-June 1 designation, prior to March 13. Absolutely no team is going to want to commit $67.9 million to him over the next two seasons. As a result, Cousins’ base salary would drop to just $2.1 million, freeing up immediate cap space for the Falcons.

“The restructure also included reducing his 2026 base salary from a non-guaranteed $35 million to just $2.1 million, a difference of $32.9 million,” Yates continues. “That amount equals the increase in his 2027 compensation that this amended deal includes, just split differently. The restructure does not impact any guaranteed money already owed to Cousins.”

The last part is also important. The restructure has no impact on the guaranteed money Cousins is owed right now, which is $35 million. The Falcons can cut him with a pre–June 1 designation and save $22.5 million, or designate him as a post–June 1 cut and save $35 million.

In theory, there’s a chance Kirk Cousins could test free agency and then return to the Falcons, but it’s hard to see how that would benefit either party. Cousins likely wants to land somewhere he’s guaranteed a starting opportunity, and the Falcons need to be fully focused on the future at the position. Kirk Cousins is not that future, and if the next regime feels compelled to continue this toxic quarterback saga, then the Falcons probably hired the wrong people all over again.