Kirk Cousins is Ditching Atlanta… but When?

NFL: Atlanta Falcons at Minnesota Vikings
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It took just 14 games. That was all Kirk Cousins needed to play for the Atlanta Falcons before his new team decided they had seen enough. After leaving the Minnesota Vikings for a staggering $180 million contract, the Falcons are now poised to part ways with him.

What options does Atlanta have with former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins?

When that happens is complicated. Cousins owns a full no trade clause, and a man motivated by money will always get his. For now, the Atlanta Falcons are locked into their shiny investment holding the clipboard. The offseason brings different possibilities.

At worst, Cousins will be in Atlanta throughout the remainder of the season. Part of the allure in signing with the Falcons was family ties to the area. With less on field responsibilities, he’ll have plenty of time for those.

This offseason, Atlanta will be pulling out all the stops to move on from Cousins. Trading him, however, would mean another team would have to shell out 37.5 million in 2025—a steep price for the performance he’s demonstrated this year, even if the trade compensation were as modest as a seventh-round pick.

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Should Cousins refuse a trade, and the Falcons be forced to cut him with a post-June 1st designation, then the Russell Wilson scenario plays out. The Steelers have gotten a 6-2 record, 1,912 yards, and a 13/3 TD/INT out of Wilson. All of that has happened while they pay him the minimum and the Denver Broncos foot the bill. That could be the exact scenario for Cousins and the Falcons next season.

Cousins holds the reins on the outcome, but he only dictates the destination if he can compel Atlanta to cut him. This union isn’t over yet, and it’s set to linger into the summer.

Kirk Cousins is cooked, right?

In hindsight, it might not have been prudent for the Falcons to commit $180 million to a 36-year-old quarterback recovering from an Achilles injury. Even considering a potential slight dip in performance, the idea of him being benched in his first year would have seemed outlandish. Yet, with a completion rate of 66.9% and 16 interceptions, he’s earned his current situation.

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That’s the bad news. The good news is that for a five-game stretch in October and November, Cousins was lights out. He posted a 72.6% completion rate with 13 touchdowns and just three interceptions. Atlanta went 4-1 in those games and put themselves in playoff contention. Which to me says that there is something still in the tank for Cousins.

It’s conceivable that head coach Raheem Morris might be out of his depth. Cousins transitioned from being one of the NFL’s premier play-action quarterbacks to arguably its least effective, compounded by the team not utilizing play action enough to support him. This could stem from Cousins’ injury recovery or perhaps a misinterpretation by his coaching staff—neither scenario bodes well.

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Someone is bound to take a chance on Cousins, and perhaps they should. However, no one is keen on repeating the gamble Atlanta took, and that opportunity has slipped away. When Cousins steps onto the field again, he’ll have to demonstrate that his recent performance was merely an aberration.

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