When the Atlanta Falcons signed Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract during the 2024 offseason, they probably never expected to bench him just 14 games into the 2024-2025 season. But that’s precisely what happened. The team could consider moving Cousins before the season, with Michael Penix Jr. slotted in as the starter.
Falcons Predicted To Trade Kirk Cousins Ahead of 2025 NFL Season
On March 13, 2024, the Falcons made the biggest move of free agency, giving former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Cousins a four-year deal worth up to $180 million.
Shortly after the organization brought in Cousins, it surprised everyone by drafting Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Cousins would go on to struggle during the 2024-2025 season, and with Penix ready to take over the team in the 2025-2026 season, his time in Atlanta is likely over.
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
Due to this, Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder believes the Falcons could trade Cousins before the season starts. Holder admits that there aren’t many quarterback-needy teams right now, but says a training camp injury could open the window for a deal.
“There aren’t many starting quarterback spots open around the league right now, so Cousins might be stuck in Atlanta until another team suffers an injury in training camp,” Holder wrote. “If that happens, the Falcons should act quickly and just get what they can for the 36-year-old since the team doesn’t plan on playing him this season.”
Atlanta is in a tough spot in terms of trading Cousins due to the size of his contract. They have already committed to paying him the $27.5 million in salary in 2025, and a trade would likely mean that they would have to eat roughly $40 million in dead cap.
Another important factor is that Cousins’ contract includes a no-trade clause, which gives him the power to reject any trade if he doesn’t feel the new team is the right fit for him.
This means the Falcons have limited options. However, Holder makes a valid point. Injuries can happen, and if a team faces an urgent need at quarterback, a trade could still happen before the season begins.
