Falcons have clear trade stance on Kirk Cousins — but there's a hiccup

Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins served as the primary backup for starter Michael Penix Jr. when the Atlanta Falcons lost 23-20 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at home on Sept. 7. 

There continues to be no indication that the Falcons will even consider putting Cousins atop the depth chart as long as Penix stays healthy. Nevertheless, it appears Cousins will remain with the club that gave him a four-year, $180M contract that included $100M guaranteed in March 2024 for the foreseeable future. 

Falcons will take calls about Kirk Cousins' availability 

"The Falcons would be willing to trade Cousins during the season, but their asking price is considered high by many around the league, according to a league source," The Athletic's Josh Kendall revealed in a piece published Wednesday. "Cousins has a no-trade clause and would only be willing to approve a deal to a small number of teams. The expectation is he’ll finish the season in Atlanta, a league source said."

As much as Cousins wants to play at the age of 37, it's worth mentioning that his wife grew up in Alpharetta, Ga. A June report suggested that Cousins would be reluctant to uproot his family at the start of the season, unless an ideal opportunity arose. 

Meanwhile, ESPN's Marc Raimondi noted on Wednesday that Penix impressed his teammates and coaches when he capped off an 18-play, 91-yard drive with a highlight-reel dive for a touchdown in the fourth quarter in Week 1. However, his defense was unable to keep the Buccaneers' offense out of the end zone. Falcons placekicker Younghoe Koo then missed a 44-yard field goal that would have sent the game into overtime with seconds remaining in regulation. 

According to Pro Football Reference, Penix ended Week 1 ranked seventh in the NFL with an 83.7 adjusted QBR. Against Tampa Bay, he completed 27-of-42 pass attempts for 298 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions. 

Could Kirk Cousins become difficult with Falcons?

Some have wondered if Cousins could cause issues behind the scenes in an attempt to receive a fresh start before the Nov. 4 trade deadline arrives. Per Kendall, Falcons head coach Raheem Morris has insisted that Cousins "is being the consummate teammate."

The Falcons next play at the 1-0 Minnesota Vikings on "Sunday Night Football" on Sept. 14.