More On Atlanta’s Options With Kirk Cousins

Ian Rapoport has another look at what the Falcons’ options with QB Kirk Cousins are now that the veteran has been benched.

Consistent with other reports, Rapoport says the most likely option is the Falcons end up releasing Cousins. 

Rapoport explains that a release is easily the best option for Cousins, allowing him the freedom to pick his next team. He also has a no-trade clause, meaning he can force the Falcons to release him before a $10 million roster bonus in 2026 becomes guaranteed in March of 2025. 

Cousins would be able to sign with another team for the veteran minimum, with the Falcons being on the hook for the rest of the $27.5 million base salary he was scheduled to earn next year. 

Rapoport notes the Falcons haven’t ruled out the idea of keeping Cousins as a backup next year. That would be unconventional, but so has this entire arrangement so far. Rapoport points out Falcons first-round QB Michael Penix Jr‘s rookie contract gives Atlanta a little flexibility. 

Rapoport also mentions that Cousins will consider retirement after the season, though he’d be walking away from a lot of money and that will be a factor in his process. Cousins also said this week that he “didn’t forget how to play football,” so it stands to reason he’d have a lot of motivation to prove himself with a new team. 

It’s telling that Rapoport mentioned a trade as the least likely outcome for this situation. Cousins is unlikely to waive his no-trade clause for the Falcons, per Rapoport, and the $10 million in 2026 guarantees will be a pill neither the Falcons nor an acquiring team will want to swallow. 

Cousins, 36, is a former fourth-round pick of Washington back in 2012. He played out the final year of his rookie contract before being franchised in back-to-back seasons. 

Cousins later departed in free agency for a three-year, $84 million contract with the Vikings. He was entering the final year of his contract in 2020 when he agreed to a two-year, $66 million contract extension. In 2021, he agreed to a new one-year, $35 million contract extension that was also fully guaranteed.

He was in the final year of that deal in 2023 and was testing the market as an unrestricted free agent when signing with the Falcons this offseason. He inked a four-year, $180 million contract with $100 million guaranteed. 

In 2024, Cousins has appeared in 14 games for the Falcons and completed 66.9 percent of his passes for 3,508 yards, 18 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.

We’ll have more on Cousins as the news is available.