How likely is it that Falcons, Kirk Cousins will part ways before trade deadline?

Atlanta Falcons backup quarterback Kirk Cousins reportedly is still interested in finding a starting job with a different team before the NFL trade deadline arrives at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Nov. 4. That said, there was no indication throughout October that any team was close to pulling the trigger on a transaction to land his services. 

For an article published on Friday, Falcons reporter Josh Kendall of The Athletic revealed that it is "unlikely" Cousins will have a new NFL home by the time the first Tuesday of November comes to an end. 

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"Is there a team out there willing to give up a Day 2 draft pick for a 37-year-old quarterback with two-plus years and $115M of cap hits remaining on his contract? Probably not," Kendall wrote. 

As Kendall pointed out, Cousins was "mediocre" while starting in place of injured starter Michael Penix Jr. for Atlanta's Week 8 home game versus the lowly Miami Dolphins. In total, Cousins completed 21-of-31 passes for 173 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions in a 34-10 blowout loss to what was previously a 1-6 Miami side. 

That same Dolphins team was booed off its home field during a 28-6 home loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night. 

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"Even though Cousins told Falcons owner Arthur Blank during an offseason meeting that he wanted to be traded to a team with which he could start again," Kendall continued, "Atlanta kept him on the roster. And while Cousins has reportedly reiterated his desire to be moved in recent weeks, given what the Falcons would get in return — a late-round pick — it seems likely they’d rather stand pat and keep him as insurance for Penix."

The 3-4 Falcons will enter the first weekend of November in the playoff hunt. Blank likely understands that quality QB2s don't simply grow on trees, so it makes sense that he'd want to keep a proven veteran who knows how to run Atlanta's offense on the roster. 

That said, one wonders if the outcome of this Sunday's game between the Falcons and 6-2 New England Patriots could result in Atlanta dropping its asking price for Cousins. As of Friday morning, ESPN BET had the Falcons as 5.5-point underdogs for the matchup at Gillette Stadium.