For a much different reason than last year, the Atlanta Falcons have had an interesting quarterback room this offseason.
Kirk Cousins' future is very much in limbo as he looks for a new opportunity to start. This will take an unforseen injury to a contending team, and who knows when that will happen.
When they do trade him, they need another backup quarterback in the wings, in case Penix Jr. goes down with an injury.
They signed veteran backup Easton Stick hoping he would force himself onto the final 53-man roster, but a tough preseason has led to his release, further proving a Cousins trade isn't close to happening.
The #Falcons have released QB Easton Stick, source said, as they whittle down their QB room.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 26, 2025
Easton Stick's release says Kirk Cousins is here to stay, for now
To get straight to the point, the Falcons never would've released Easton Stick if they thought a Kirk Cousins trade was imminent.
Releasing him allows him to sign anywhere else, thus risking losing him altogether.
Surely, they hope he doesn't receive another job offer and is able to land on the practice squad (which is risking in of itself.)
We also have to address the simple fact that Stick didn't play well enough in the preseason to give the Falcons confidence he can give the team a chance to win in the regular season. His first game was solid, but then costly mistakes and ineffective play reared their ugly head.
Possibly, they have a plan to land another backup quarterback, whether it be via trade or signing someone after their release.
Nevertheless, we aren't close to a Kirk Cousins trade.
Even if the an injury happens to another team, the front office may wait until a team is even more desperate closer to the trade deadline; like a team in the playoff picture who suffers a severe quarterback injury.
All around, the Falcons are taking the risky route with their quarterback room.