As anticipated, the Atlanta Falcons kicked off their week with Kirk Cousins still on the roster, despite the fact that his 2026 roster bonus has now fully guaranteed. This marks quite a shift for Cousins, who lost his starting position to Michael Penix Jr. late last season, sparking questions about the future of the Falcons’ quarterback situation.
ESPN NFL insider Dan Graziano didn’t hold back in his critique of the Falcons’ handling of this scenario. He pointed out that keeping Cousins around creates complications across the board. “It’s no good for Penix,” Graziano argued, highlighting that if Penix struggles in the early going, there will undoubtedly be calls from frustrated fans for Cousins to step back in. Meanwhile, for Cousins himself—eager to prove he can still contribute after recovering from his Achilles injury—the stagnation isn’t beneficial either. Graziano also raised a critical point about the Falcons’ coaching staff, who may soon find themselves fielding continual questions about a situation that could easily turn contentious if managed poorly.
The Falcons are clearly hoping that a team facing quarterback uncertainty—such as the Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers, or Tennessee Titans—might come in with a trade offer before the deadline later this fall. Cousins’ name has frequently been linked to the Browns, given his past experience under head coach Kevin Stefanski when both were with the Minnesota Vikings.
While it’s true that the Falcons can financially accommodate Cousins as a backup while Penix is locked into a cost-effective rookie deal, the reality is that the franchise has already mismanaged Cousins by not informing him of the possibility that they might draft a quarterback in the first round of the 2024 draft. Graziano noted that the Falcons are fortunate Cousins isn’t the type to cause a scene or demand a trade, but all of that could change once mandatory minicamp rolls around this spring.
Adding to the conversation, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported that Cousins is unlikely to attend the offseason program but is more inclined to show up for mandatory minicamp to avoid penalties. Breer emphasized that it may be in everyone’s best interest for Atlanta to find a way to trade Cousins sooner rather than later. As he aptly put it, “some of the assets here are human beings,” raising questions about whether Cousins’ presence is truly the best scenario for Penix as the franchise looks to build around their promising young starter.
Looking forward, it appears that high-profile quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson may secure new homes in free agency before any team opts to trade for Cousins. The clock is ticking, and Cousins may soon need to cross his fingers for a team that suddenly finds itself needing a temporary starting quarterback ahead of the 2025 trade deadline.
With the trade deadline from the previous season set for November 5, it’s clear that the Falcons need to navigate this complex situation wisely, lest it fester into a distraction that hampers both Cousins and Penix during an important offseason.
