Heading into the 2025 offseason the biggest question facing the Atlanta Falcons is how they will solve their Kirk Cousins problem. Varying reports have left what is actually ahead confusing and difficult to decipher. Terry Fontenot took a hard stance early in the offseason, saying that there was no way the team would consider cutting the veteran quarterback. At the time this appeared to be simple posturing in an effort to help bring in more trade interest for the aging quarterback.
Whether or not that is the case the future for Cousins remains murky. The good news for Atlanta is the fact Cousins has handed them a reason to stick with the GM's comments. At the worst possible moment, Kirk threw his coach and team under the bus. Deflecting blame for his late-season collapse on never being fully healthy and an injury that was denied when the Atlanta media asked Kirk if he was healthy. The timing of this and the quarterback's choice to hurt his team should give Atlanta permission to do whatever is needed.
Atlanta doesn't owe Kirk Cousins anything in the 2025 offseason
What made believing Fontenot's words so difficult is how the Falcons had handled the situation. Keeping Cousins in the lineup as long as they did spoke to the great respect they had for the quarterback. Using every chance to defend his starter, Raheem Morris gave Cousins far too long in the lineup and it cost the Falcons a playoff spot.
Cousins returned this loyalty by using Super Bowl week to point out an injury he refused to admit when it was costing his team games. Atlanta's media consistently questioned the health of the quarterback and were assured things would improve and that injury wasn't the reason for Kirk's struggles.
The veteran changing this narrative now takes all the pressure off Atlanta to put him in the best possible situation. Holding out for a trade and keeping the quarterback hostage should now be at the top of the playbook. There is no reason to swallow the huge dead cap hit while the veteran picks his next landing spot.
Fontenot's refusal to cut the veteran shouldn't be posturing or an empty threat but the path the Falcons follow. It is their best chance of finding a trade and would end with the smallest dead cap hit. It is time to move on from Cousins, however, Atlanta should hold onto his contract through the offseason with the belief a thin quarterback market will result in a trade.