As soon as Atlanta's 2024 season ended, the team told anyone that would listen their plans for Kirk Cousins this offseason. Despite making it clear that Michael Penix Jr. would start, the team refuted any reports that suggested they would consider cutting the veteran were denied by an Atlanta front office that appeared to be posturing to attempt to drive up trade interest. This was the narrative that fans and pundits alike believed heading into the offseason. Yes, we are now nearing the summer, and there isn't a hint that the Falcons ever had any real intentions of trading the former starter.
It is yet another example of a team that thinks so far outside the box that their own fans and league pundits don't believe them. This has thus far worked to the team's detriment, with the one potential outlier being what Penix becomes. If the quarterback is a franchise star, much of what the Falcons have done over the last two seasons is going to fall in their favor. Still, having Cousins on the bench is a noteworthy distraction that Atlanta appears poised to accept.
Atlanta has shown they were always serious about their intentions to keep veteran Kirk Cousins
This was first signaled when the team kept the quarterback past a roster bonus that was due in late March. Atlanta was expected to cut Kirk Cousins to avoid having to pay the additional $10 million, choosing to absorb the money was proof that the Falcons were serious about either trading Cousins or retaining the experienced quarterback as the primary backup.
Atlanta had high standards for any potential Cousins trade, demanding that teams accept a huge portion of the contract. Another example proving that while the Falcons were open to a potential trade of the quarterback, the investment was viewed as a sunk cost. They weren't going to throw away the contract simply to rid themselves of the veteran. If there were a deal made, it would work greatly to Atlanta's benefit.
With this in mind, it is time to face the likelihood of the Falcons entering the 2025 season with Cousins returning in a new role. The one concerning piece of this for Atlanta is having a potential distraction with Penix attempting to take over. Every other factor adds up as to why the Falcons would choose this path.
Kirk Cousins returning for the 2025 season is yet another example of this team stubbornly doing things their own way. Something that fans can only hope works out in the favor of what has often felt to be a cursed franchise.
