Let's be clear from the start, Kirk Cousins deserved to be benched and played extremely poorly to end the season. The veteran has a history of cashing in during free agency and will get at least $90 million from the Atlanta Falcons. It isn't an issue of money or the Falcons failing to honor the contract. The problem with the latest Kirk Cousins news is the fact it could end the veteran's career.
If you're being completely objective the Atlanta Falcons are making the right decision when it comes to money. Keeping Kirk Cousins on the roster or trading the veteran are your only options if you hope to field a playoff team in the 2025 season. Kirk's cap hit will shoot up around $25-million if the Falcons were to cut the veteran. With this in mind, their stance and attempt to garner trade interest makes sense. However, it has to be frustrating for an accomplished quarterback coming off the worst season of his career.
Will Kirk Cousins accept a backup role or force his way out of Atlanta?
The veteran quarterback will be thirty-seven when the 2025 NFL season kicks off. Tom Brady has broken many brains into believing it is normal for a quarterback to play at a high level in this stage of their career. Already we've seen signs of drastic aging from Kirk Cousins and have reason to wonder if the best of the quarterback is far behind.
Still, with his accomplished history, the veteran would have zero problem finding a place to at least compete for a starting role. Spending a season backing up Michael Penix Jr. would make the quarterback thirty-eight before getting another chance. A year removed from starting with his last tape being the worst of his career it is hard to believe he would receive another chance.
Considering Atlanta's respect for Kirk Cousins it is hard to believe they will follow through on this. Keeping Cousins in the lineup as long as they did speak not only to the money involved but the team's respect. It is difficult to believe the team is willing to end the veteran's career without offering him a path back into the lineup.
The more likely story is that this is simply posturing by the Falcons. Hoping that it will drum up trade interest to help them escape a nightmare contract. Otherwise, this situation could grow uncomfortable for both sides.