Trade him? Cut him? Kirk Cousins' future poses cap questions for Falcons

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Kirk Cousins stood astatine the podium wrong the property room astatine the Atlanta Falcons installation Wednesday afternoon, astir 24 hours aft being told by caput coach Raheem Morris that he would nary longer beryllium the team's starting quarterback.

Morris announced Tuesday it would beryllium rookie Michael Penix Jr. arsenic the team's No. 1 QB "moving forward." Cousins had thrown 9 interceptions successful the span of 5 games against conscionable 1 touchdown pass. The Falcons went 1-4 during that stretch, going from first spot successful the NFC South to a 7-7 grounds and hardly hanging connected successful the playoff race.

Cousins, who has thrown a league-leading 16 picks, faced the media and was asked, among different things, if he still viewed himself arsenic a starter successful the NFL.

"I didn't hide really to play quarterback," Cousins said. "Certainly, turnovers were not what you want, but I didn't hide really to play."

Cousins, 36, apt won't beryllium the No. 1 feline successful Atlanta again, though Penix has not yet started a game, and thing is possible. Penix, who the squad took astatine No. 8 wide successful the NFL draught backmost successful April, will get the shot Sunday against the New York Giants (1 p.m. ET, Fox).

For the remaining 3 weeks of the season, Cousins said he'll connection his support to Penix and the team. After that, things are very overmuch up successful the air, and the chances the 13-year seasoned returns to the Falcons arsenic a backup look slim.

Cousins, who has a no-trade clause, will get a opportunity successful his future, arsenic will the Atlanta beforehand office. Those decisions, arsenic they almost ever are, will beryllium astatine slightest successful portion financially driven. Cousins signed a four-year, $180 cardinal past offseason and astir $100 cardinal of that is guaranteed.

The Falcons could trim Cousins. If they do truthful earlier the commencement of the 2025 convention twelvemonth (March 12), they would get deed pinch $65 cardinal successful dormant money, coming from his afloat guaranteed guidelines net of $27.5 cardinal and $37.5 cardinal successful remaining proration, per Roster Management System. If they do it pinch a post-June 1 designation, the dormant money would dispersed complete the 2025 and 2026 play -- $40 cardinal successful 2025 and $25 cardinal successful 2026.

A waste and acquisition would beryllium different option, if Cousins gives the go-ahead. Cousins played good earlier this play and could beryllium charismatic to teams that judge he'll beryllium amended successful 2025, 2 years aft room to repair a torn correct Achilles. He has a way grounds arsenic a value backmost for much than a decade, which is why Atlanta signed him to specified a lucrative statement successful backmost successful March.

If the Falcons traded Cousins, they would beryllium connected the hook for the $37.5 cardinal of remaining proration, while his afloat guaranteed $27.5 cardinal of guidelines net would transportation to his caller team. There's besides a likelihood that Atlanta would person to eat immoderate of that $27.5 cardinal successful a deal.

Cousins besides has a $10 cardinal roster prize for 2026 that would go afloat guaranteed connected the 5th time of the 2025 convention year.

Cousins will make his guaranteed sum -- sloppy of wherever he ends up -- and likelihood are the Falcons will beryllium dealing pinch really his statement affects their net headdress for the foreseeable future.

Atlanta wide head Terry Fontenot has done a bully occupation successful getting the franchise retired of salary-cap purgatory complete the past 3 seasons. He'll person to get imaginative now pinch the team's big-money signing not moving retired arsenic hoped.

As for Cousins, he worked retired Thursday pinch the Falcons scout squad successful believe and Morris said Cousins told him that he plans connected being the champion No. 2 backmost successful the convention complete the remaining 3 weeks (or longer if the Falcons sneak into the playoffs).

What happens aft that seems very overmuch up successful the air.

"You are benignant of 1 time astatine a clip correct now, and you benignant of ever are successful this league," Cousins said, "and successful the offseason, that's erstwhile conversations happen, but we're not location yet."