The Atlanta Falcons are expected to release veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins before the start of the new league year in March and let him decide his future, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Saturday.
The Falcons cutting Cousins would make him a free agent again, and that would allow him to choose where he wants to spend the 2026 campaign — if he wants to play, that is. Cousins, after all, will turn 38 before the start of next season and is 14 seasons into his four-time Pro Bowl career.
Advertisement
Cousins, who was in Washington for his first six seasons, signed a four-year, $180 million deal with the Falcons in 2024 after playing for six additional seasons for the Minnesota Vikings from 2018-23.
Saturday’s news follows last month’s ESPN report that Atlanta restructured Cousins’ contract, a move that reportedly set the Falcons up for more cap flexibility and put Cousins in position for a release that would give him more career options.
Modifications were made to Cousins’ 2026 base salary, dropping it from $35 million to $2.1 million. That $32.9 million difference was then added to his 2027 base salary, per Schefter.
Advertisement
If Cousins is on the Falcons’ roster at the start of the league year in mid-March, his 2027 base salary — which is now reportedly $67.9 million — will become guaranteed.
But cutting him via a post-June 1 release would split the dead money on his contract over the 2026 and 2027 league years, according to ESPN.
The year he signed with the Falcons, he was coming back from an Achilles injury that cost him the back half of the 2023 season.
Although he worked his way back to the field in time for Week 1, he picked up shoulder and elbow injuries, struggled and was benched 14 games into his first go-around with the Falcons. Rookie Michael Penix Jr., whom Atlanta surprisingly took No. 8 overall in the 2024 draft, replaced Cousins and had a three-game runway to the 2025 campaign.
Advertisement
Then-head coach Raheem Morris stuck with Penix as QB1 this past offseason. Although trade rumors swirled, Cousins wasn’t dealt before or during this season.
He wound up starting eight more games for the Falcons, though, including seven straight to end the season after Penix underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL.
Cousins led Atlanta to wins in its each of its final four games, posting a 7:2 touchdown-to-interception ratio in that span.
He would like to play next season, per Schefter, but he’s expected to have television opportunities. Cousins appeared on CBS’ pregame show during the playoffs.
Advertisement
As for Penix, the Falcons haven’t made a commitment at the quarterback position since firing Morris and hiring a new leadership team that features president of football Matt Ryan, general manager Ian Cunningham and head coach Kevin Stefanski.
