Remember when Kirk Cousins was the talk of the league every day and night? It was a constant barrage of "where will Cousins land!?" or "when will the Falcons trade Cousins!?"
That has quieted down these past few weeks, mostly due to Aaron Rodgers finally deciding to sign with the Steelers.
But the silence speaks just as loudly as all the talk, as it has become abundantly clear that the Falcons are willing to keep their expensive quarterback around for the long haul.
Kirk Cousins is here to stay, for better or for worse
The Atlanta Falcons made it clear they would not sell last year's prized signing for peanuts to start the offseason; they were willing to keep him through thick and thin.
Some believed them, while others didn't. Nevertheless, they made good on that promise as he remains with the team entering training camp, with no moves on the horizon.
Terry Fontenot and his crew are willing to keep him as their backup quarterback entering 2025.
Beyond theat, it is a toss up on if he will be a Falcon beyond the trade deadline.
If a contending team gets desperate enough, the Dirty Birds will gladly offload their quarterback for a draft pick or two.
Honestly, though, the alternative solution seems more likely: they keep him around through the season and release him next year.
Atlanta hasn't been willing to eat any of Kirk's salary, which is why a trade hasn't happened yet. Will a team be willing to take on his $37.5 million salary in the middle of a season?
Maybe there are a few teams out there that would under the right circumstances.
But that is the big issue, it has to be the right circumstance. In addition to the financials, they have to be confident in his health, know he can start immediately, have a system that can flourish with an immobile quarterback, and be willing to give up a draft pick or two.
Oh, and it has to be a contending team that sustains a quarterback injury or is hindered by their current starter.
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At this point, we can only speculate, but odds are he remains the backup throughout the entire season and is released next offseason.