At least for the moment, the Falcons are posturing like they are willing to keep Kirk Cousins on the roster next season if they are not willing to find a trade partner.
Terry Fontenot said at his recent press conference that reports that the team was planning to outright release Cousins at the end of the season were false. They want to get something back for their $180 million investment into the veteran quarterback last offseason, but there are several roadblocks to a potential trade.
Most notably, Kirk Cousins has a full no-trade clause, and he doesn’t have much incentive to waive it. The Falcons didn’t necessarily do right by the veteran when they drafted Michael Penix Jr. in the first round just a mere weeks after signing Cousins. It’s unlikely Cousins is going to want to do anything to help Atlanta out this offseason, especially if it would be more beneficial to his next team if he is just released and signs for the veteran minimum.
However, there is one thing potentially working in the Falcons’ favor in this situation, and it’s Cousins’ desire to be a starting quarterback. If he really doesn’t want to spend one of the final years of his career backing up Michael Penix Jr., the mere threat of that could force him to waive his no-trade clause if the Falcons really dig their heels in.
But then there’s the question about Kirk Cousins’ value around the league. Do other teams really believe he’s capable of being a starting quarterback after what they saw this season?
It wasn’t exactly inspiring quarterback play, but there are some scenarios that make some sense. San Francisco could be an option if Brock Purdy decides to overplay his hand, and a similar situation could arise in Minnesota with Sam Darnold. Depending on how he performs in the playoffs, the Vikings could decide he’s not worth the massive contract he’ll surely be looking for this offseason.
The Browns are another team that’s rumored to have interest in Kirk Cousins, and surely other interested parties will emerge. Simply put, there aren’t 32 good quarterbacks on the planet. There’s not even 20, so there will undoubtedly be a market for Cousins, who will be on a very affordable contract for whoever acquires him in a hypothetical trade.
There are a lot of hurdles the Falcons will have to overcome to trade Kirk Cousins. It’s a situation that will have to be handled perfectly, and accomplishing it would be a massive win for Terry Fontenot and the current regime.
However, should anybody feel confident that the Falcons will play their cards just right? I, for one, am not holding my breath.
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Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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