The Atlanta Falcons have decided to bench Kirk Cousins, marking the end of the 36-year-old’s stint as the team’s starting quarterback just 14 games into a four-year, $180 million deal.
Rookie Michael Penix Jr. will take the reins for Sunday’s matchup against the New York Giants as the Falcons fight to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.
The decision would have seemed inconceivable just a month ago.
At the time, the Falcons were 6-3 and riding high on a two-game winning streak. Cousins had delivered seven touchdowns with no interceptions and completed 79% of his passes in back-to-back victories over the Buccaneers and Cowboys.
This dominant stretch made him the frontrunner for NFL Comeback Player of the Year.
But the momentum didn’t last. In the five games since Week 10, Cousins has thrown just one touchdown compared to nine interceptions, and Atlanta dropped four straight before narrowly defeating the Raiders on Monday.
Despite the win, Cousins acknowledged his struggles. “I have to play better,” he admitted after the game. However, the team decided the time for improvement had passed.
Barring injury or an extraordinary turn of events, Cousins’ time in Atlanta is effectively over. Penix, selected eighth overall in the NFL Draft, will now lead the team.
The Falcons’ bold move to draft Penix as high as they did was the biggest story of April’s draft, and the front-loaded structure of Cousins’ contract gives the team a relatively painless path out after just one season – provided he waives his no-trade clause.
Cousins’ deal includes $62.5 million in guaranteed money for 2024, followed by a fully guaranteed $27.5 million salary in 2025.
Another $10 million becomes fully guaranteed in 2026 if Cousins remains on the roster past the fifth day of the 2025 league year.
While his $27.5 million salary for 2025 is modest by veteran quarterback standards, finding a trade partner could prove challenging given his recent performance.
If Atlanta trades Cousins before June 1, they’ll absorb a 2025 cap hit of $37.5 million, a figure lower than his $40 million cap number for next year.
Cutting him with a post-June 1 designation would result in a $40 million charge, though the Falcons could offset part of that cost depending on what Cousins earns elsewhere.
The market for Cousins may be limited.
Potential suitors include quarterback-needy teams such as the Jets, Browns, Steelers, Titans, Raiders, Giants, Saints, and Seahawks.
Additionally, the 49ers could emerge as a destination if head coach Kyle Shanahan seeks a reunion with the quarterback his family drafted in 2012.
The Rams might also consider Cousins, given his younger age compared to Matthew Stafford and head coach Sean McVay’s familiarity with him from their time in Washington.
For now, Cousins faces an uncertain future as Atlanta hands the keys to its offense to Penix.
Whether Cousins ultimately agrees to a trade or forces the Falcons’ hand remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: his tenure as the Falcons’ starting quarterback is at an end.
What are your thoughts on Atlanta’s decision to bench Cousins?
Where do you think his next NFL stop will be? … Or is there a chance he’s taken his last snap under center???
