A pair of NFL insiders believe if Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons offense don’t have a strong finish to the 2024 season, there is a good chance the expensive quarterback will be playing elsewhere in 2025.
There were high expectations for the Falcons heading into the 2024 NFL season. Last year they finished third in the NFC South with a 7-10 record. However, there was a common belief that if not for some poor QB play they could have been a playoff team in 2023.
Related: Where do the Atlanta Falcons land in our latest NFL offense rankings?
That is why they gave 36-year-old veteran QB Kirk Cousins a massive four-year, $180 million contract despite coming off a torn Achilles last season. Heading into their Week 13 clash against the Los Angeles Chargers, ATL is in first place in the NFC South. But with an underwhelming 6-5 record.
The team and offense are not where the organization hoped to be at this point in the season. And if not for the division being weak again, they would not be a likely playoff team like they are at the moment. The Atlanta Falcons made the surprising decision to use their top pick in April on former Washington star Michael Penix. Making many wonder if the organization has some doubts about Cousins.
Well, this week a pair of top NFL insiders suggested the next six games could be make-or-break for Cousins and his time in Atlanta.
- Kirk Cousins stats (2024): 2,807 passing yards, 17 touchdowns, 9 interceptions, 56.8 quarterback rating
Could Atlanta Falcons trade Kirk Cousins this offseason if they don’t finish strong?
“What about Kirk Cousins? It remains to be seen how things turn out in Atlanta, but they haven’t gone as great as the Falcons imagined they would,” ESPN NFL insider Dan Graziano wrote this week. “And first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. is sitting there behind him and about to turn 25 in May.
“Could the Falcons make Cousins available in a trade after only one season if they think Penix is ready to go? He’d be an interesting veteran pickup for a team that thinks it’s close.”
- Kirk Cousins contract: Four years, $180 million
In response, fellow inside Jeremy Fowler claimed he expected the Falcons to come out of the bye with a defined plan to maximize Cousins’ talents down the stretch. But he also didn’t think a trade in the offseason would be out of the question. Although the options might be limited.
“Cousins would have a trade market, but I can’t think of a natural fit right now,” Fowler wrote. “The Raiders and Giants are in desperate need of a quarterback upgrade. But Cousins would prefer a contender, and neither team qualifies. Luckily for Atlanta, it doesn’t have to do anything right now. And Cousins very well could remain in a Falcons uniform if the next six games go well.”
Related: Where does Kirk Cousins land in our latest NFL QB rankings?