It won't surprise Atlanta Falcons fans to learn that their biggest 2025 projected cap hit is Kirk Cousins. A problem that is unlikely to get any better unless the Falcons find a team desperate enough to trade for the veteran quarterback. Even if the happens the Falcons will only get a bit of cap relief from the move. As of now the team is dealing with a $40-million dollar cap hit for the 2025 season. If the Falcons are forced to cut Cousins that number shoots up nearly $25 million.
With this in mind, it is easy to understand Atlanta's early offseason stance of keeping Kirk Cousins on the roster. It is cheaper for the Falcons to keep Cousins as the team's backup then to simply cut their losses on the deal.
Atlanta will be dealing with Kirk's contract through at least the 2027 season
Even if the Falcons find a willing trade partner, they are going to be responsible for a dead cap hit each of the next two seasons. It is why it never made sense to sign Cousins and draft Michael Penix Jr. in the same offseason. Atlanta paid Kirk Cousins as if they believed the veteran would be their answer not only in the 2024 season but at least for the next two years.
Atlanta's best path is trading Cousins to get relief from the contract and have him off the books completely in two seasons. Cutting the veteran would result in a $65-million dollar dead cap hit that number would drop to $25-million in 2026 and $12-million in 2027. Still, it is a giant number to attempt to swallow for a team attempting to build a contender in a bad cap situation.
The deal has been far worse than expected and continues to be the biggest reason for the team's 2024 failures. Barring a team deciding to take on a horrible contract this isn't getting better for Atlanta anytime soon. The league is likely going to call their bluff seeing if Atlanta truly is willing to hold onto Kirk's contract as the backup option. It would take a truly desperate team to help bail Atlanta out. It is on the table but remains incredibly unlikely as the Falcons continue to explore their options.