The Atlanta Falcons have officially turned the page to begin the Michael Penix Jr. era, with Kirk Cousins recently embracing his backup role. It was obvious that Cousins wanted out of Atlanta, and the Falcons were unwilling to grant his release. The veteran was faced with a choice after a miserable 2024 season. Either be willing to alter his contract, or accept his new role sitting behind Penix.
OTAs and minicamp revealed that the veteran quarterback's contract was a big mistake, and his value continues to sink. Teams are willingly signing up for Daniel Jones, Justin Fields, and an ancient Aaron Rodgers over paying a portion of Kirk's deal.
Cousins is going to be a historically paid backup due to Atlanta's decision to draft Penix and pay the quarterback in the same offseason. With both being four-year deals, the timeline never made sense. Having so much frustration with Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke, the team was willing to make a dumb move in hopes that one of the risks they took would solve the position.
This does seem to be the case with Penix looking the part of a star franchise quarterback. However, the flip side of this is that, thanks to Kirk's deal, you've already wasted a season of a rookie contract and are unable to go all-in as most teams would with a young star.
OTAs and Minicamp Revealed Falcons QB Kirk Cousins Has No Market
This is difficult to accept when you consider the moves the team could be making with the money tied up in Cousins' deal. Defensive upgrades and offensive depth could be added, giving this team real hope of making a deep run in the NFC. Still, it is hard not to be excited for the 2025 season based solely on the team's rookie class and the possible ceiling for Penix.
Cousins being present is simply a reality of the contract the team handed the veteran, and his acceptance that there is no longer a market. The only way this changes is if a surprise injury suddenly makes a team desperate enough to overpay for a player who was the league's worst starter at the end of the 2024 season.
Considering how unlikely this scenario is, it seems Cousins is stuck in Atlanta, and the Falcons always planned to carry through on the announced intention of keeping the veteran quarterbacks. Kirk's comments have cleared up any remaining questions; the veteran is locked into the roster for the 2025 season.