Report: Kirk Cousins sends clear message to Falcons owner about future

Cousins signed a four-year, $180M guaranteed contract with the Falcons last offseason. The team then drafted Michael Penix Jr. in the first round, which was a stunning move given how much money the Falcons had just committed to Cousins.

Cousins was benched toward the end of 2024 following a brutal stretch of play. Penix started the final three games of the season and finished the year with 775 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions. The Falcons remain committed to the former Washington star going forward.

The Falcons almost certainly want to move on from Cousins. Their ideal scenario would be to trade the four-time Pro Bowl quarterback and have a team take on some of the massive contract, but that is unlikely to happen. Even a team that had interest in Cousins as a potential starting quarterback would likely prefer to wait and see if Atlanta cuts him.

One NFL analyst believes Cousins may have to settle for a backup job next season. Even if that is the case, Cousins would prefer to explore opportunities outside of Atlanta.

Cousins threw for 3,508 yards, 18 touchdowns and 16 interceptions last season. He appears to be fully recovered from the torn Achilles he suffered midway through 2023, but his options for a starting job will be very limited.