Big-money quarterback contracts have a nasty habit of blowing up in teams’ faces. Sure, you pay elite guys like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, or Lamar Jackson without thinking twice. But for everyone else? That’s where franchises get burned. Atlanta learned this lesson the hard way in 2024-25, and now they’re staring down an ugly reality: their $180 million investment might be heading for the chopping block.
Falcons Predicted to Cut $180 Million QB After Michael Penix Jr. Takeover
The Falcons can’t find anyone willing to trade for Kirk Cousins, and with his no-trade clause giving him all the power, they’re running out of options. PFSN’s Jacob Infante thinks Atlanta might have no choice but to cut their expensive quarterback before the 2025-26 season starts.
On March 13, 2024, Atlanta made what looked like the splash of free agency. They handed Kirk Cousins, fresh off his Minnesota Vikings stint, a four-year deal worth up to $180 million. The move was supposed to finally give them their franchise quarterback.
Then the Falcons shocked everyone by drafting Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The former Washington quarterback wasn’t supposed to play right away, but that plan didn’t last long.
Cousins struggled badly during the 2024-25 campaign. After 14 games and a 7-7 record, the Falcons had seen enough. They benched their expensive veteran and handed the keys to Penix.
The rookie didn’t just fill in. He impressed over three starts and earned the starting job for 2025-26. That left Cousins as an overpriced backup, and nobody’s happy with that arrangement.
Kirk Cousins wants to be traded
he wants to start for another team
let’s flash back to how his season ended
9 interceptions to 1 touchdown 😱
lost 4-of-5 games
just look at these 9 INTs 👀
some of the most AWFUL INTs you will ever see
ball speed, placement, judgement YIKES pic.twitter.com/v1JQmpQDxX
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) March 8, 2025
What Options Do the Falcons Have With Cousins’ Contract Situation?
Cousins wants to start somewhere, and if Atlanta won’t give him that chance, he wants out. The problem is nobody’s lining up to trade for a quarterback coming off a disastrous season who’s owed serious money.
Making matters worse, Cousins has a no-trade clause. Even if the Falcons found a willing partner, he’d have to sign off on the deal. That gives him complete control over where he lands, and teams know it.
The four-time Pro Bowler has made it clear he wants his release if a trade can’t happen. If Atlanta can’t find a trade partner by the end of training camp, Infante believes they’ll be forced to cut him.
“Realistically, a Kirk Cousins trade might be more realistic for the Atlanta Falcons, seeing as though cutting him would actually cost them $10 million this year,” Infante wrote. “In order to release Cousins and keep their salary cap in the black, they’d have to cut or restructure somebody else to free up $6 million.
“That said, it’s clear the relationship between Cousins and the Falcons is in a rough spot after he got benched for Michael Penix Jr. last year. He’s more of a trade candidate than a cut candidate, but if it reaches the point where Cousins refuses to suit up for Atlanta, they could have a tough choice to make.”
Atlanta’s options are all bad, and every path costs them serious money. They’re already on the hook for Cousins’ $27.5 million salary in 2025-26. They’ve also triggered his $10 million bonus for 2026 as well. If they trade him, they’ll still eat roughly $40 million in dead cap space.
The only thing that might save the Falcons is an injury to another team’s starting quarterback. Even then, they won’t get anywhere close to full value for their investment. Sometimes expensive mistakes just have to be expensive lessons.
