Kirk Cousins’ future with the Atlanta Falcons is a hot topic of discussion in the 2025 NFL offseason. A recent update from a prominent NFL insider sheds new light on the situation and identifies two teams that could be in the mix for the four-time Pro Bowl quarterback.
According to SI’s Albert Breer, Cousins’ time in Atlanta is at an end after just one tumultuous season. The Falcons signed Cousins to a massive four-year, $180 million contract in 2024, but he was benched late in the year in favor of rookie Michael Penix Jr.
Will the Atlanta Falcons Trade Kirk Cousins or Release Him?
Cousins finished 24th on PFSN’s 2024 QB Rankings. As PFSN’s Ben Rolfe noted, “Cousins struggled when operating under pressure and in clutch spots all season, with a -0.44 EPA/DB when pressured (26th). His nYPA of 7.3 ranked ninth, but he was also 11th in YAC/Cp at 5.6.”
Breer dove into the financials to hash out what Atlanta’s more prone to do, given its cap constraints and large dues to the veteran quarterback.
“I don’t see why Kirk Cousins would be motivated to facilitate a trade for the Falcons, nor do I believe that Atlanta is going to keep him on the roster as a backup,” Breer said. “The key date in this saga remains St. Patrick’s Day. That’s because, on March 17, a $10 million roster bonus for 2026 vests as fully guaranteed.”
The Falcons are $9.4 million over the cap, the fifth-lowest amount of cap space in the league. There are almost 20 players who will be free agents in 2026 that the team could release without incurring any dead cap hits, and there are another eight players that do have relatively minimal dead cap hits that could be on the chopping block.
Cousins is not among that group of minimal dead cap hits. Cutting Cousins before June 1 would result in a $65 million dead cap for the Falcons in the 2025 season. If Atlanta keeps Cousins, he’d have a $40 million cap hit. His contract does allow for a potential out after the 2025 season with a dead cap hit of $35 million. Atlanta could spread out that dead cap hit over two seasons with a post-June 1 designation.
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As for a trade, the dead cap hit for Atlanta would come down to a more tolerable $37.5 million. However, Cousins has a no-trade clause and it’s reported he won’t waive it.
“Cousins, of course, can see the math there the same as the team can, so all he really has to do is wait for the Falcons to cut him loose,” Breer said. “And that’s what I expect him to do because if he’s cut, he’s more attractive to other teams than he would be as a trade target—both because they wouldn’t have to give up anything to get him, and because he’d likely come for the veteran minimum of $1.3 million.”
If Cousins Is Cut, Which Teams Will Want To Sign Him?
Breer has two teams that would most likely be interested in signing Cousins if he were released by the Falcons. Both teams have head coaches who were with Cousins as offensive coordinators: The Cleveland Browns and the New York Jets.
Both teams need quarterback help and have been linked to Cousins throughout the offseason. The Browns are looking for a bridge option while Deshaun Watson recovers from injury, while the Jets are moving on from Aaron Rodgers and seeking a veteran presence under center.
Both the Browns and Jets have talented defenses, though Cleveland looks like it might lose stud edge rusher Myles Garrett. The Browns also have the second overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, so would they sign Cousins to the veteran minimum and draft Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders? Would they opt for Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter to fill the void left by Garrett as predicted in Joe DeLeone’s 7-round mock draft?
Seeing as both top quarterback prospects should be off the board by the time the Jets pick at seventh overall, the Jets might be a more realistic landing spot for Cousins. Would the Jets take on another quarterback closer to 40 after the Rodgers debacle? The price tag definitely helps ease those concerns and allows the Jets to bring in a younger free agent to pair with Cousins.