The Atlanta Falcons cleaned house, and now they have a new head coach, Kevin Stefanski.
Stefanski is a well-regarded offensive mind who spent six seasons at the helm of the Cleveland Browns.
To ensure his Falcons tenure goes better than most of his time with the Browns, Stefanski will want to make sure to get the quarterback position right, and that'll be easier said than done in the early going.
Michael Penix Jr. Tore his left ACL, yet another knee injury for the young lefty quarterback.
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Kirk Cousins is on a contract that makes him the most expensive backup in football. That is, unless he's starting.
Stefanski and Cousins go way back, too.
"Stefanski was Cousins' offensive coordinator in Minnesota in 2019, when Cousins completed nearly 70% of his passes for 3,603 yards, 26 touchdowns and six interceptions," ESPN's Jeremy Fowler wrote on Tuesday. "Cousins knows Stefanski's wide-zone scheme well."
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Fowler, through talking with league executives, predicts the Falcons will stick with Cousins as their starting quarterback to open the 2026 season.
The Penix knee repair in November was his fifth major surgery dating back to his college days, Fowler writes.
"They are going to need somebody early in the season due to the injury, and Cousins played OK for them late last year," an NFC executive told Fowler. "It seems Cousins has always respected Kevin. Both sides have a decent option in their back pockets."
Cousins likely doesn't have a big ceiling at this point. But if there's enough belief from each side, it could work for a while before Atlanta has to make a decision upon Penix's return.
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