Aaron Rodgers has finally made a decision regarding his NFL future. After a long offseason filled with uncertainty, Rodgers made a move when it was least expected, informing the Steelers that he would be signing with them.
With Rodgers officially committing to Pittsburgh, the Atlanta Falcons have hit rock bottom in their efforts to trade Kirk Cousins. The Steelers were seen as Atlanta’s last realistic trade partner, and there was an expectation they would call if their deal with Rodgers fell through—but that’s no longer the case.
“With Rodgers going to the Steelers, Cousins is left without a viable destination to satisfy his goal of being a starting quarterback in 2025. Thus, Cousins will be forced to play the waiting game -- perhaps until training camp, the preseason or into the regular season -- and monitor the health of quarterbacks around the NFL,” Sports Illustrated’s Daniel Flick wrote.
Now, the Falcons will have to keep a close eye on any team that suffers a significant injury to its starting quarterback.
“Every time a quarterback gets hurt, the Falcons are going to be like, ‘Hello, look at the guy we got,’” NFL Insider Ian Rapoport said. “He suggested that Atlanta could even land a premium draft pick by trading Cousins during the season if a team becomes desperate enough.”
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox listed the Falcons as one of the biggest losers from the Rodgers signing, and with good reason: Atlanta is now on the hook for Cousins' full $27.5 million salary this season.
“That stinks for Cousins, and the Falcons may not be too thrilled about running out of trade options either. While Atlanta has said it is "comfortable" keeping Cousins around as its backup, general manager Terry Fontenot can't be eager to hand out a $27.5 million salary to his QB2,” Knox wrote.
With no trade options remaining and a massive contract to pay, the Falcons are now stuck with an expensive backup and little choice but to wait and hope the situation shifts elsewhere in the league.
Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson is entering his second season with the team. As the Falcons continue to build upon their offensive resurgence, Robinson’s role as the architect of this transformation cannot be overstated. His blend of analytical prowess, innovative play design, and player development has positioned Atlanta as a formidable offensive force in the NFL.
Robinson has learned a lot from his first season as an offensive coordinator. In an article by Tori McElhaney, he discusses some of his experiences last season.
“There were just so many things going on,” Robinson recalled. “And it was a big overhaul from the previous regime and the things these guys were used to with a lot of the players. Things moved fast.”
Under Robinson’s leadership, the Falcons have developed a balanced and dynamic offensive identity. The 2024 season, in particular, saw the emergence of a powerful run game led by Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, who thrived in Robinson’s zone-run schemes and screen passes.
Robinson and Penix’s Relationship
The relationship between Robinson and starting quarterback Michael Penix is especially crucial. The offensive coordinator often serves as a mentor to young quarterbacks, helping them read defenses, make quick decisions, and thrive under pressure.
“With Mike now, it opens up a different avenue within the offense,” Robinson said. “So, going back to even watch some of Mike’s stuff at Washington, refreshing the things we knew we liked about him coming out. Getting some refreshers, even though he played the three games, here are some other things we can try to get to now that he is pulling the trigger.”
Robinson is impressed with Penix’s arm strength as it’s one of the strongest arms he has ever seen from a quarterback.
“You knew he had the arm strength,” Robinson said, “but then you see it in person and it’s next level, like, ‘Holy smokes, this is different from stuff we’ve ever seen.'”
Offense Will Open Up More This Season
Robinson expects the offense to look a little different from last season because they weren’t able to run everything they incorporated in practice.
“Some of the stuff you may have seen last year during the season and you didn’t want to quite get to because you didn’t want to introduce something new to the players on a game week, on a short week. But now, the plan is all together. Doesn’t mean that it’s done — there are multiple plays last year that we didn’t even run until training camp or we didn’t even run until the third week of the season that became a staple concept that you have,” said Robinson
He continues “It was a lot of fun watching a bunch of tape of ourselves, our players having a better understanding of what our guys do, seeing it up close and personal for a year now,” Robinson concluded, “but then, obviously, evolving is something we will always try to stay ahead of because if you’re not, you will get left behind.”
