In a move that has seemed inevitable for months, the Atlanta Falcons are expected to release veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins before his $10 million roster bonus comes due on March 17. Multiple sources across the league believe the Falcons have no choice but to cut ties with Cousins after a roller-coaster 2024 season that saw the team invest heavily in a potential successor.
The writing has been on the wall for Cousins ever since the Falcons shocked the NFL world by selecting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in the first round of the 2024 draft. Despite signing Cousins to a massive 4-year, $180 million contract just months earlier, Atlanta’s front office clearly had doubts about the 36-year-old’s long-term viability.
A Season of Turmoil
Cousins’ 2024 campaign got off to a rocky start when he learned of the Penix pick while the Falcons were on the clock during the draft. The veteran QB was reportedly frustrated by the move, as Atlanta opted for his eventual replacement rather than adding talent to support Cousins.
As the season progressed, Cousins struggled with turnovers, leading the league in interceptions (16) and tying for the most fumbles (12). With the Falcons still in playoff contention at 7-7, head coach Raheem Morris made the bold decision to bench Cousins in favor of the rookie Penix for the final three games.
There’s a standard that I have for myself, that the team has for me, that, unfortunately, I wasn’t playing up to that standard consistently enough,
– Kirk Cousins on being benched
Cap Ramifications and the Path Forward
By releasing Cousins before March 17, the Falcons can avoid paying his $10 million roster bonus and get out from under the remaining $90 million on his contract. The move will leave a massive hole at quarterback, but Atlanta seems prepared to move forward with Penix as the starter.
For Cousins, this will mark the second straight offseason hitting free agency. Last year, he inked a one-year, veteran minimum deal with the Steelers. At age 36 and coming off a down year, his market is likely to be tepid once again.
- Teams potentially in the QB market: Steelers, Jets, Giants, Raiders, Saints, Browns, Titans
- Other notable free agent QBs: Sam Darnold, Russell Wilson
As for the Falcons, they sit at 7-7 with a 20% chance to make the playoffs, per ESPN’s Football Power Index. With winnable games against the Giants, Cardinals, and Panthers to close out the season, Atlanta is hoping Penix can provide the spark they need to sneak into the postseason.
An Unceremonious End
When the Falcons signed Cousins to that massive deal in 2024, they envisioned him as the stabilizing veteran presence who could lead a ready-to-win roster on a deep playoff run. Instead, his tenure will end after just 14 turnover-plagued starts, with the team pivoting to yet another young quarterback.
For a proud competitor like Cousins, going from $180 million man to cap casualty in the span of 10 months has to sting. But he remains confident in his abilities, even as his Falcons career comes to an unceremonious close.
I didn’t forget how to play quarterback. Certainly, turnovers were not what you want, but I didn’t forget how to play.
– Kirk Cousins
As the Falcons turn the page to the Penix era, Cousins will once again test the waters of free agency, hoping to prove he still belongs in the league as a starter. And Atlanta’s brass will face immense pressure to get this next chapter right after whiffing so badly on their pricey Cousins gamble.
