How much cap space the Atlanta Falcons have in the 2025 offseason varies according to the source. What all sources agree on is the fact the Falcons will be dealing with negative cap space heading into the offseason. It is somewhere in the range of -$6-10-million in space the Falcons must navigate. A big piece of this will be decided by the future of Kirk Cousins.
If the Falcons are able to trade the quarterback, their cap situation changes entirely. While they are still responsible for a large portion of dead cap for Kirk's contract they are in a better situation. Cutting the veteran quarterback seems almost impossible when you consider the negative cap it would create. Atlanta is stuck needing to trade Kirk Cousins, restructure contracts, and look to make tough decisions on aging veterans.
Kirk Cousins' contract has put Atlanta in a difficult position with negative cap space
If not for Kirk's contract the Falcons would have around $30-35 million in cap space to shop with during the offseason. That is without factoring in obvious roster cuts or Atlanta opting to rework deals. It speaks to why the signing was always so frustrating if the team was going to draft Michael Penix Jr.
Imagine what Atlanta could have added in around the quarterback with the money spent on Cousins. We've watched what Jayden Daniels and Dan Quinn accomplished in year one for Washington. When you have a young dynamic quarterback and a roster fully bought in the results speak for themselves.
For Atlanta, however, this isn't the path they chose, and they will pay the price this offseason. No matter whether Cousins is traded, cut, or retained the Falcons are going to be paying a heavy price for their mistake. One that will limit the team's ability to shop anywhere other than the bargain aisles of free agency this offseason.