Kirk Cousins: What’s Next for the Quarterback?
A select few seasoned quarterbacks over the age of 35 will be on the market in free agency, and Kirk Cousins could potentially be one of them. The Atlanta Falcons are faced with a crucial decision regarding Cousins’ future. The key options they have include: (1) shelling out $27.5 million to have him as a backup to Michael Penix Jr. in 2025, or (2) releasing him before a $10 million injury guarantee in 2026 converts to a full guarantee pba governors cup game 6.
This $10 million guarantee turns fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the new league year, which starts on March 12. It’s likely the Falcons would prefer to trade Cousins instead. However, it’s important to note that he has the right to block any trade with his no-trade clause. recently active in tagalog This scenario could lead to a standoff between the Falcons and Cousins. They may choose to indicate their willingness to retain him for this season. If they do, Cousins would receive the $27.5 million and the next $10 million would become guaranteed, but he would not see playtime unless Penix suffers an injury . braimoh Conversely, if they decide to cut him before the March 16 deadline, he would have the freedom to sign with any team, potentially securing a starting position.
Looking back at last year, Cousins earned $62.5 million from the Falcons, which included a $50 million signing bonus and a $12.5 million base salary for the 2024 season. best player of the conference pba Should a trade occur before June 1, it would trigger a $37.5 million cap hit for 2025. Cutting him after June 1 would incur a $40 million cap charge, minus whatever compensation Cousins receives from a new team.
The pressing question then arises: would another team offer enough to cover the $27.5 million offset, or would Cousins settle for a one-year deal at the minimum salary of $1.255 million, leaving the Falcons to manage the rest — a situation similar to what Russell Wilson did to the Broncos last year. However, the dynamics differ. The Broncos had a $39 million obligation to Wilson, and it was unlikely any team would pay above that. This season, will any team consider paying Cousins more than $27.5 million? If they do, how much more would that be? And would there be guarantees extending beyond 2025?
Much will depend on whether another team believes Cousins still has plenty left in the tank. Last season’s underperformance may have been influenced by his recovery from an Achilles injury, or perhaps it’s a sign of Father Time asserting itself and not planning to step back.
If a team is open to offering Cousins significantly more than $27.5 million for the upcoming 2025 season, the idea of trading for his contract becomes more appealing. Ultimately, this situation hinges on whether Cousins is willing to give up his no-trade clause. If he is not, the critical question remains whether the Falcons are prepared to pay him $27.5 million and commit to another $10 million in guaranteed money for 2026, just to have him play second fiddle to Penix in the coming season.
What direction do you think the Falcons should take with Cousins?
