It's no secret that Kirk Cousins' time in Atlanta is coming to a screeching halt. Near the end of his inaugural season with the Atlanta Falcons, Cousins struggled heavily and was permanently benched for Michael Penix Jr.
Nearly a year later, the gigantic contract given to the 37-year-old seems like a massive overpay, and all his value has nearly dried up. The Falcons have an option to cut him after this season, but it would take a $35 million dead cap hit. All speculation over the offseason hinted he'd either be traded or cut by now, and neither happened.
In Penix's absence, Cousins will take over as QB1 for the rest of the year. The 25-year-old played poorly this season before suffering another ACL tear, and the Falcons have no hopes of making the playoffs. The only real reward of playing out the season would be to see the young players develop.
Now, the Falcons may not fully decide whether or not to commit to Penix, all because of a season-ending injury. Now, the moment you've been waiting for. Here are three destinations Cousins may find himself in this time next year:
3 perfect-but-stunning destinations where Kirk Cousins could spend the 2026 season
Atlanta Falcons
This one isn't super creative, but it's a possibility. I say that because the Falcons gave this man so much money, and Terry Fontenot isn't great at accepting defeat. His dead cap hit is $12 million cheaper than his salary for next season, but I don't believe Penix is the answer in Atlanta.
He's inaccurate, can barely scramble, and is unable to win. His 4-8 record, including 0-4 in overtime, proves this point. Will Cousins return to Atlanta? Maybe, but Penix isn't any better, so Fontenot may go with experience instead of the qrowing red flag of the injury history.
New York Jets
For Cousins' sake, I hope he doesn't wind up in New York. The Jets' quarterback room has struggled for years, and they sold multiple pieces this trade deadline. With the Aaron Rodgers debacle in the rearview and the Justin Fields experiment going up in flames, Cousins seems like a prime candidate for New York.
The Jets clearly value experienced quarterbacks, and Cousins will be turning 38 years old with 14 years of NFL experience. You can check those two boxes, but the Jets need much more than just a signal-caller. However, they'll more than likely be in the market to draft one this coming April.
New Orleans Saints
This one is interesting, but would require Cousins to be cut this offseason. The Saints did sell at the trade deadline, but have a few strong pieces surrounding a highly dysfunctional quarterback room.
Spencer Rattler was benched for Tyler Shough, who has yet to shine through three games in New Orleans. The Saints do have a recent history of signing an aging, underperforming quarterback to a large contract *cough* Derek Carr *cough*.
Carr received a similar contract as Cousins in 2023, but retired halfway through after struggling mightily. The Saints may want to see what they have in Shough, but Cousins could immediately improve this decent roster.