Second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is the current and future face of the Atlanta Falcons. What does that make Kirk Cousins? Chopped liver? It's a strange dynamic and situation that should've already been resolved, but here we are.
Reporting on the Cousins-Falcons impasse has been messy since the team benched him in favor of Penix last season. At first, eating the four-time Pro Bowler's $10 million roster bonus due in mid-March to be a backup was "slim." Atlanta general manager Terry Fontenot contradicted the intel when addressing the media at the NFL Scouting Combine, saying the plan is to keep both passers.
Then, earlier this offseason, Dianna Russini of The Athletic revealed that despite interest in Cousins, the Falcons were unwilling to move him. Fast forward to the present, and Atlanta is ostensibly propping the 37-year-old up in hopes of rerouting him. What's going on? Why can't Fontenot and Co. just come to terms with trading someone who doesn't factor into their short- or long-term outlook?
Falcons fans are right to wonder why Atlanta hasn't traded QB Kirk Cousins
Are the Falcons worried about Penix's ability (or lack thereof) to be the guy under center or his checkered injury history? Perhaps they're afraid of trotting out 2019 fifth-round pick Easton Stick as their No. 2 signal-caller. But does that justify hanging onto Cousins as an absurdly overpaid reserve?
Cousins is set to make $40 million in the upcoming campaign to handle clipboard duties and maybe fill in for Penix. That's an egregiously steep price for someone who may have already taken his with the Falcons. How can the franchise's longtime owner, Arthur Blank, be comfortable with this?
Meanwhile, Cousins has let the media speak for him, though his desire for a fresh opportunity elsewhere has been abundantly clear. However, the Falcons seemingly don't want to eat a good chunk of the remainder of the four-year, $180 million contract he signed last March. But who wants to tell Atlanta they're consuming the whole enchilada by resisting?
Per the latest update from Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Cousins is "finally healthy again and has impressed in training camp" this summer. Moreover, the insider signaled the 14th-year veteran's potential openness to waive his no-trade clause for the right situation, heavily hinting at the Los Angeles Rams.
"Now, if there's a coach and scheme that Cousins knows well, for instance, the Rams and Sean McVay, it's certainly possible Cousins could end up elsewhere at some point between now and the Nov. 4 trade deadline," Pelissero states. Yet, the Falcons "anticipate" having Kirko Chainz as Penix's understudy.