There are a ton of moving parts with Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins' situation this offseason, but SI.com's Albert Breer writes that Cousins could waive is no-trade clause after April's NFL draft. Breer believes Cousins wants to avoid the situation he found himself in with the Falcons last year when he was blind-sided by the Falcons' decision to select Michael Penix Jr. in the first round. Before accepting any potential trade, the 36-year-old veteran has signaled to interested teams that he wants to wait until after the draft to pick his new team. Breer has heard that Cousins' camp would be amenable to working out the particulars of a trade before the draft on the contingency that a team willing to trade for him wouldn't take a QB in the first round. The Falcons are willing to make Cousins the highest-paid backup in the league, but a trade still seems more likely to happen. The Browns are the most probably landing spot.
A league source told Josina Anderson that both Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins and Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis came up in recent preliminary trade inquiries or internal discussions. "Atlanta has been getting calls," the league source said, while also saying, "the Titans would like to transition." The Falcons continue to say they're willing to pay Cousins top money to serve as their backup in 2025, and they even kept him past last Saturday's $10 million guarantee deadline. However, Cousins doesn't want to be a backup, and Atlanta could give in if they get the right return, although they'd probably have to eat some money, too. The Titans are clearly ready to move on from Levis, who was benched last year, but it remains to be seen what kind of trade market he'd even have. It's looking a lot more likely that the Titans may hang onto the No. 1 overall pick and take Miami QB Cam Ward.
NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports that Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins will remain on the roster on Saturday past 4 p.m. ET, solidifying his $10 million roster bonus for March of 2026. Pelissero also notes that if Cousins is eventually traded or released, Atlanta's obligation is subject to offsets. Cousins started 14 games for the Falcons in 2024, though he woefully underperformed, racking up an 18:16 TD:INT ratio before getting benched for rookie signal-caller Michael Penix Jr. in Week 16. It's a strange move for the team, as it would seemingly behoove them more to trade the 36-year-old, especially considering he's made it clear that he prefers to start rather than ride the bench. With that said, you can't fault Atlanta, as Cousins would be one of the more competent backups in the league.
NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reports that the Atlanta Falcons don't intend to release quarterback Kirk Cousins. The 36-year-old, who signed a four-year $180 million deal with the Falcons last offseason, had a lackluster year while recovering from a torn Achilles suffered in 2023. With Cousins' inconsistent play deteriorating in the back half of the season, the team eventually turned to rookie gunslinger Michael Penix after a stretch of four weeks in which the veteran racked up eight interceptions and no touchdowns. It's worth noting that the Michigan State alum plans to continue his career in 2025, whether that is with the Falcons or not. However, a no-trade clause in his contract adds an extra layer of difficulty to the situation. Currently, it appears Cousins could spend his fourteenth season in the league in a backup role. He won't be on the fantasy radar if that's the case.
The Athletic's Dianna Russini reports that teams that have been interested in veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins around the league have been told that the Atlanta Falcons won't move him. Per SI.com's Albert Breer, Cousins asked for and was granted a meeting with owner Arthur Blank on Wednesday to discuss his future, according to sources. The 36-year-old wants to go somewhere where he can start in 2025, but Falcons brass has said they will do what's best for the team at the position. The Falcons have held firm on their stance that they are comfortable keeping Cousins as the most expensive backup in the league this year after he threw 18 touchdowns and 16 interceptions in 2024 and was benched in favor of first-rounder Michael Penix Jr. It's hard to envision Cousins sticking around as a backup after signing a four-year, $180 million deal last year. He could request a trade after April's draft. Stay tuned.
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins makes the most sense for the Cleveland Browns to pursue this offseason, assuming the Falcons aren't serious about making him the most expensive backup in the league and eventually cut him, according to The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt. The main reason it makes sense is that head coach Kevin Stefanski was Cousins' QBs coach and offensive coordinator with the Minnesota Vikings for a couple years. Cousins was benched in favor of rookie Michael Penix Jr. in 2024 after throwing 18 touchdowns and 16 interceptions, but it was his first year coming off an Achilles tear. The 36-year-old is in decline but would make for a perfect, cheap bridge signal-caller if the Browns take Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders with the No. 2 overall pick, or if they wait and take someone like Jalen Milroe later in the draft.
ESPN's Dan Graziano writes that trading quarterback Kirk Cousins before March 17 is the best course of action for the Atlanta Falcons from a salary cap standpoint. However, it might be tough for the Falcons to find a trade partner willing to take on $27.5 million guaranteed in 2025 and $10 million next year after Cousins was benched after throwing 18 touchdowns and 16 interceptions in 2024. The Falcons would absorb $37.5 million in dead money on their 2025 camp if they trade him. If they release him outright before March 17, they'd take on $65 million in dead money this year. If they release him before March 17 as a post-June 1 cut, they'd take on $40 million in dead money this year and $25 million in 2026. The 36-year-old didn't look great coming off a torn Achilles in 2023 and also dealt with a right-shoulder injury in 2024. It remains to be seen if a QB-needy team will be desperate enough to trade for Cousins.
Falcons Comfortable With Keeping Kirk Cousins As Backup
The Atlanta Falcons are comfortable with keeping quarterback Kirk Cousins as a backup in 2025, according to general manager Terry Fontenot. If Atlanta keeps him on the roster to back up Michael Penix Jr., they will pay Cousins $27.5 million in 2025 while triggering $10 million in fully guaranteed money for 2026. Cousins signed a four-year, $180 million deal last March but was benched for Penix after throwing for 3,508 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions in 14 games. As the offseason continues to unfold, whether or not Fontenot is serious about keeping Cousins on the roster will be uncovered.
The Athletic's Zac Jackson writes that the Cleveland Browns might only be able to afford players like the Atlanta Falcons' Kirk Cousins or Minnesota Vikings' Daniel Jones as their bridge quarterback this offseason. According to Over the Cap, Cleveland is projected to be $38.6 million over the 2025 salary cap, but the next anticipated restructure of QB Deshaun Watson's contract will clear up around $36 million in cap space. The status of QBs Derek Carr, Geno Smith and Russell Wilson will dictate how expensive Cousins and Jones will be this offseason. Cousins isn't a free agent, but the Atlanta Falcons probably will find it hard to trade him because of the $10 million roster bonus he's due after the start of the new league year. Cousins has familiarity with Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski from their days with the Vikings. The Browns are expected to draft a QB at No. 2 overall this year, but Cousins could make sense as a bridge starter if he becomes a free agent.
Kirk Cousins Battled Shoulder Injury Late In The Season
According to Josh Kendall of The Athletic, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (shoulder) dealt with a shoulder injury during the back half of the 2024 season, which hindered his play. Cousins said that he suffered this injury following their Week 10 contest against the New Orleans Saints. The veteran said he "Got hit pretty good in my right shoulder and elbow, and from there, it was kind of something I was working through." Then, over the final three weeks, the team opted to bench Cousins in favor of rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. Before this injury, Cousins performed quite well, averaging 263.4 passing yards per game with a 17:8 TD:INT ratio. However, over his final four contests, the 36-year-old averaged just 218.5 passing yards per game and threw just one score with eight interceptions. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status throughout the offseason as the team may look to find a trade partner, as Penix is viewed as their franchise option.
Kirk Cousins
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Falcons
