There has been rampant discussion since the offseason began about whether the Falcons would actually keep Kirk Cousins on the roster through the middle of March and guarantee him an extra $10 million roster bonus.
Most thought Terry Fontenot and company were bluffing the entire time, assuming he would eventually be cut and free to sign wherever he desired. But that is not the case, with Adam Schefter reporting the Falcons will indeed keep Kirk Cousins on the roster past 4 PM ET today, guaranteeing him that $10 million bonus.
The Falcons are really banking on two things with this decision, because there’s no world where they actually want to give Kirk Cousins another $10 million to sit on the bench.
First, they are well aware of Cousins’ desire to be a starter. He’s in the twilight years of his career and doesn’t want to waste the little time he has left in the league rotting on the bench behind Michael Penix Jr. Cousins has a full no-trade clause, but he’ll likely waive it for any opportunity to start elsewhere.
Secondly, the Falcons believe there will eventually be a team desperate enough to trade for the veteran quarterback. He may not be any team’s first option right now, but there aren’t 32 quarterbacks better than Kirk Cousins. There might not even be 16, meaning half the league could theoretically improve their situation under center at a very palatable price.
Whether it’s a team that misses out on their top option in free agency or an injury that arises before the season begins, the Falcons are very confident there will be a market for Cousins, allowing them to recoup some draft capital on their investment while also getting some cap relief.
These next few months are going to be very interesting in Atlanta.
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Photographer: Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire
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