Falcons See 'Lot of Layers' to Kirk Cousins Trade

The Atlanta Falcons have three options with quarterback Kirk Cousins: trade, cut or keep.
The Atlanta Falcons could bring back quarterback Kirk Cousins as the full-time backup to Michael Penix Jr.
The Atlanta Falcons could bring back quarterback Kirk Cousins as the full-time backup to Michael Penix Jr. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images
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As recent as mid-November, the Atlanta Falcons didn't anticipate having conversations about the future of quarterback Kirk Cousins -- but now, they have no choice.

And the Falcons are locked in a world of complications.

Atlanta benched Cousins after Week 15, a move made after the 36-year-old veteran threw only one touchdown to nine interceptions in his final five starts. The Falcons tumbled from 6-3 to 7-7 before moving to rookie Michael Penix Jr., the team's first-round draft pick last April.

Penix impressed enough in his final three starts to secure the starting job moving forward. So, what's next for Cousins?

The Falcons have three options for Cousins: trade, cut or keep. Each have flaws, but for Atlanta's best interest, trading Cousins is the most desirable.

However, Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot acknowledged Jan. 12 that Atlanta faces obstacles in trading Cousins.

"We’ll take those things as they come," Fontenot said when asked if he's open to trading Cousins. "With that, everyone would have to be good with it, right? From his camp, his supporters, (agent) Mike McCartney, Kirk Cousins, us, and the other team.

"There's a lot of layers to that, and we'll take those as they come."

Perhaps the biggest layer is Cousins's no-trade clause. He has the right to waive it and decline trades to other teams, which makes sense for his camp considering a trade would detract assets from his new team. Fontenot said whether the Falcons can adjust Cousins's no-trade clause is a private discussion that will happen in due time.

For Cousins, the ideal scenario is a release. Since the Falcons would be on the hook for either $27.5 or $37.5 million, depending on if he's on the roster March 17 for his $10 million bonus, he'd be able to follow a path similar to Russell Wilson last spring when he left the Denver Broncos for the Pittsburgh.

Cousins, a four-time Pro Bowler, could sign with a new team for the veteran minimum, thus opening more financial resources, while still being paid handsomely by the Falcons.

But that option doesn't benefit Atlanta, as it would pay Cousins's contract for him to not be on the roster.

The third option leans more in the Falcons' favor but doesn't behoove Cousins: keeping both he and Penix on the roster.

"Kirk's a great man. He's been great support for Mike, a great teammate, great support for everybody in the building," Fontenot said. "So, we're very comfortable moving forward with him as the backup."

Fontenot reiterated he'll keep any discussions about Cousins's intentions private, but Atlanta's fifth-year general manager again stressed he's "very comfortable" keeping Cousins as the backup.

The Falcons are eighth in salary cap allocation at the quarterback position, Fontenot noted, which would have been the same regardless of the order between Cousins and Penix.

Cousins, who completed 66.9% of his passes for 3,508 yards, 18 touchdowns and 16 interceptions across 14 starts, said after his benching that he didn't forget how to play quarterback. Apart from the day after his initial benching, Cousins didn't meet with reporters thereafter to confirm nor deny his future interests.

And so, the Falcons have been left to speak for him -- and Fontenot has made his intentions clear.

"He's not the starter anymore, but we're very comfortable moving forward with him as a backup," Fontenot said. "He's handled himself extremely well through the entire process from start to finish, from when he came in the building. And in these adverse situations, that's when you show your true character."


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Daniel Flick
DANIEL FLICK

Daniel Flick is an accredited NFL writer for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Daniel has provided boots-on-ground coverage at the NFL Combine and from the Atlanta Falcons' headquarters, among other destinations, and contributed to the annual Lindy's Sports Magazine ahead of the 2023 offseason. Daniel is a co-host on the 404TheFalcon podcast and previously wrote for the Around the Block Network and Georgia Sports Hospitality Media.