Why Falcons are expected to cut Kirk Cousins, and how he might keep playing for Atlanta anyway

Billy Heyen

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Why Falcons are expected to cut Kirk Cousins, and how he might keep playing for Atlanta anyway image

The Atlanta Falcons are already well aware that the four-year, $180 million contract they signed Kirk Cousins to two seasons ago isn't working out.

The best the Falcons can do is try to figure out how to navigate the future with Cousins, particularly in the context of young quarterback Michael Penix Jr.

The Athletic's Josh Kendall believes the first part of what comes next is simple — he writes that Cousins is expected to be released in early March.

Why then? Because he will be owed $68 million if he's on the roster on March 13.

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The Falcons can't put themselves in a situation of paying Cousins that money, so the release almost certainly will happen.

But after that, it doesn't mean Cousins is necessarily done in Atlanta.

"Cousins could be released and then re-signed if he doesn’t find a better option elsewhere, and the Falcons are interested in bringing him back on a less-expensive contract," Kendall writes.

One thing potentially working in Cousins' favor as far as a return to the Falcons is new head coach Kevin Stefanski. He was the offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings in 2019 with Cousins as his quarterback.

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The Falcons likely would want a veteran QB to back up Penix in the season ahead, and it seems to be perfectly logical for that to be Cousins.

It's unlikely another team would pursue Cousins as a starter this offseason, so if he likes the familiarity of the Falcons and of Stefanski, he could wind up getting cut and then brought back to Atlanta anyway.

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