Dec 8, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) warms up before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium.

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Michael Penix Jr. or Kirk Cousins – The Quarterback Dilemma Falcons Must Answer!

Kirk Cousins wants out, but Falcons have other plans!

Dec 8, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) warms up before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium.

The Atlanta Falcons surprised one and all with their moves at the quarterback position in the 2024 offseason. Slightly more than a month before the draft, the Falcons acquired the former Vikings quarterback, Kirk Cousins through free agency. Cousins signed a hefty 4-year, $180 million contract with the Falcons, leading everyone to believe that he was the future of the franchise.

Come the end of April, and the Falcons with the 8th overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft selected Michael Penix Jr., sending shockwaves through the league. Having just signed a veteran signal caller to a 4-year deal, nobody could quite comprehend what was going on in Atlanta given the fact that they could have used their first round pick to select a strong player in another position.

Eventually, last season was well sorted as the Falcons decided to give their rookie quarterback time to develop behind a well-established veteran of 12 years and gain as much knowledge as possible. This approach has worked wonders for many others as the NFL is a much higher step above college football.

How Did the Falcons Fare in 2024 With Cousins?

In his first season in Atlanta, Cousins did not live up to his usual standards, leading the team to a 7-7 record in 14 games before being benched for Penix Jr. He had slightly over 3,500 passing yards but his touchdown to interception ratio was a terrible 18:16. In fact, his 16 touchdowns led the league despite playing just 14 games.

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What Is the Situation Now in Atlanta?

Atlanta has reportedly decided to go ahead with Penix as their starter for the upcoming 2025 season. The problem lies in the fact that Cousins wants to be at a place where he can start. And if Atlanta cannot guarantee him the starting position, then he wants out.

The Falcons, on the other hand, want to keep Cousins as their backup, and they have good reason to do so. The 4-year deal worth $180 million consists of a $90 million guarantee, which the Falcons have to pay him, thus releasing him will be a huge loss.

One way out of this mess is if they are willing to trade Cousins in exchange for draft capital. The downside to that is at 37 years old and with a so-so 2024 season, Cousins’ stock has taken a hit. Nevertheless, if things do not work out with Aaron Rodgers, the Steelers could be a potential landing spot for Cousins. Similarly, the Browns can also be an option as the Deshaun Watson experiment has not gone according to plan, putting them in a position of bother.

The Kirk Cousins situation remains unsettled. He let the Falcons know he'd like to start somewhere in 2025. Atlanta has been steadfast saying they plan to keep him on the roster, through Monday's vesting date and into the season.

To me, there's is a creative path out …
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 13, 2025

As a result, the Falcons have a difficult decision to make. On one hand, Cousins will provide a more than capable backup should they require his services, and he will also be a competent mentor to young Penix, but on the other hand, they could look to pick up draft capital if they can find a trade partner willing to do good business.

Atlanta Falcons

Kirk Cousins

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Devavrat Kulkarni

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I am a content writer for the NFL team, and joined The Playoffs after working with Sportskeeda and NFL Analysis as an NFL writer. After starting my professional career as a French-to-English translator, working as a content writer is a new adventure for me. I started out in the sports media field for two main reasons: my love for sports in general, especially the NFL, NBA, and Tennis, as well as my passion for writing. The best part of this job is that I get to write a variety of pieces with the freedom to explore content from various angles. It also enables me to stay up to date with the sporting world, which otherwise can be difficult to do in the day-to-day grind. In a world full of chaos, sports unite and entertain like nothing else!