The Atlanta Falcons’ standoff with Kirk Cousins continues even as both sides pass an important deadline. Cousins was due a $10 million roster bonus for the 2026 season if he was on the roster past 4 p.m. EST on Saturday.
Many believed the bonus was a deadline for Cousins to be released or traded. With Michael Penix Jr. ready to start next season, it felt like it made sense for the Falcons to move on. But the saga came to a surprising end – even though a final resolution could be coming in the final months.
Falcons Hold Onto Kirk Cousins Through Saturday Deadline
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Falcons will not trade or release Cousins before his 2026 roster bonus becomes guaranteed on Saturday afternoon. The decision isn’t a surprise if you’ve followed general manager Terry Fontenot’s plan to keep Cousins as a backup next season. But NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo provided the twist revealing the bonus was subject to offset language.
Garafolo pointed out that this means the team that is paying him next year will pick up Atlanta’s portion for part or all of the guarantee. If Cousins is traded in the future, the Falcons may not be responsible for the bonus, but that’s where things become complicated.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero explained that Cousins made $62.5 million in the first year of his contract and is due $27.5 million in 2025. With the $10 million roster bonus, Cousins will have made the $100 million that was guaranteed in the contract.
This reveals the reason why the Falcons didn’t release Cousins. Cutting him with a pre-June 1 designation wasn’t a possibility since it increased his 2025 cap hit from $40 million to $65 million. Cutting him with a post-June 1 designation would clear $32.5 million in cap space for 2026, but Atlanta would still be on the hook for the $10 million bonus.
At this point, the best scenario is to hold for a trade. Teams like the Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, and New York Giants could be interested in a deal, but they’d have to be willing to take on the contract and convince Cousins to waive his no-trade clause. That could also happen later in the summer if a quarterback gets hurt or a team can’t find a suitable solution in next month’s NFL Draft, but it shows that a decision doesn’t have to be made right now.
It’s a situation that defies cap management and requires a degree in mathematics. But it brings a temporary solution for what may be a long-term problem for the Falcons.