Report: Falcons Willing to Make Kirk Cousins a Backup, Won't Just Release Him

Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said the team is still working through the future of quarterback Kirk Cousins.

The future of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins remains undecided. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris and quarterback Kirk Cousins hugged and conversed during locker cleanout day Monday at the team's headquarters in Flowery Branch.

Cousins, the 36-year-old signal caller who was benched after 14 starts, told Morris they'd talk soon -- and according to NFL Network insider Cameron Wolfe, their discussions may carry over into next season.

Wolfe said he spoke to the Falcons' key executives during pre-game warmups, and Atlanta plans to start Michael Penix Jr. under center in 2025 and beyond -- which brings Cousins's future to the forefront.

"From what I understand, the Falcons are not just going to release him," Wolfe said Monday. "They will listen to teams in regards to trade offers, but they want to get something back from that deal, and they're willing to bring him back as a backup quarterback if it doesn't happen that way.

"We will see this offseason if a team is interested in trading for Kirk Cousins."

Cousins signed a four-year contract worth up to $180 million in March. He played only 14 games this season, completing 66.9% of his passes for 3,508 yards, 18 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. Over his final five starts, Cousins threw only one touchdown and nine interceptions while the Falcons went just 1-4.

A four-time Pro Bowler, Cousins arrived in Atlanta this spring to help the franchise snap a seven-year playoff drought. He led the Falcons to a 7-7 record in his starts, but Atlanta felt Penix was a better option to close the season.

Across three starts, Penix went 58-for-100 passing for 737 yards, three touchdowns, three interceptions and one rushing score. He capped his season with a 312-yard, three-total-touchdown performance in Sunday's 44-38 overtime loss to the Carolina Panthers.

Here's the financial implications and potential moves the Falcons can make moving forward, courtesy of NFL Network's Tom Pelissero:

• "Release him before March 16, 2025 (no-post June 1 designation): They'd still owe him $27.5 million fully guaranteed cash and carry a $65M dead cap hit in 2025.
  
  * Release him before March 16 (post-June 1 designation): Same cash, but they'd spread the dead cap hit over two years: $40M in 2025 (his scheduled number) and $25M in 2026.
  
  * Trade him before June 1, 2025 (which he'd need to agreed to): They'd carry a dead cap number of $37.5M in 2025, but save $27.5M in cash and $2.5M in cap, depending on how much of the $27.5 million the trade partner was willing to take on. They could save at most $27.5-million.
  
  If Cousins remains on the Atlanta roster as of March 16, another $10M in 2026 would become fully guaranteed -- not impossible, but practically unfathomable after the decision today.
  
  Benching him now also avoids a situation where Cousins could get hurt in the final three games and lock in that additional $10M, which is guaranteed for injury."

Morris said Monday that Cousins kept the promise he made after his benching: being the best backup quarterback in the NFL.

Now, the question remains whether Cousins, who said the day following his demotion that he didn't forget how to play quarterback, will have another 18 weeks' worth of time devoted to being the league's best No. 2 passer.

"Obviously, those things will come up in these same discussions," Morris said Monday. "We'll make some of those decisions, obviously, with him, because of his contract status and all the things that he's talking about.

"So, you just never know, and I think that's the part of the process we'll go through right now with him."

The Falcons will have to make a decision on Cousins before March 17, when he's due a $10 million bonus for being on the roster.