Falcons HC Raheem Morris acknowledged it is unlikely veteran QB Kirk Cousins will show up for voluntary OTAs once those get going this month.
“I’m not going to be foolish to think that he’s going to show up for voluntary work right now,” Morris said via Pro Football Talk. “We’re dealing with a business-type mode right now. I don’t think he’ll be there. If he is, we’ll welcome him with open arms. But I’m not going to be fool enough to make myself get worked up and angry about Kirk Cousins missing voluntary workouts.”
Cousins has been relegated to an expensive backup behind QB Michael Penix Jr. and the Falcons elected to hold onto him in the hopes of working out some sort of trade rather than cutting him and essentially paying him not to play in Atlanta.
Morris reiterated the Falcons are content to keep Cousins as a backup if necessary but he understands Cousins would like a starting opportunity elsewhere.
“I do know he would like to try to be a starter at some point,” Morris said. “That’s been clearly communicated with me and whoever else he had an opportunity to talk to. I do know that. The way about that, I’m not sure, but we’ll have to figure those things out and we’ll have to get to that process.”
Morris added he would love if the Falcons were able to work out some sort of win-win solution.
“There’s definitely a human side when you want to see him go out and be the best version of himself,” Morris said. “This is not a thing where we’re holding you back if the opportunity presents itself. If it’s something that’s good for both of us — it’s good for the Falcons and Kirk Cousins — we certainly would like to see that happen.”
Cousins has a no-trade clause, which is among many important wrinkles in this situation, and has indicated that he plans to wait until after the draft before waiving it for any team to ensure he doesn’t land in another repeat situation of last year.
Another hurdle to a trade will be Cousins’ $27.5 million guaranteed 2025 salary and $10 million guaranteed roster bonus in 2026. The Falcons will likely eat some of that to facilitate a trade but how much will be a major haggling point in any negotiation.
Cousins, 36, is a former fourth-round pick of Washington back in 2012. He played out the final year of his rookie contract before being franchised in back-to-back seasons.
Cousins later departed in free agency for a three-year, $84 million contract with the Vikings. He was entering the final year of his contract in 2020 when he agreed to a two-year, $66 million contract extension. In 2021, he agreed to a new one-year, $35 million contract extension that was also fully guaranteed.
He was in the final year of that deal in 2023 and was testing the market as an unrestricted free agent when signing with the Falcons this offseason. He inked a four-year, $180 million contract with $100 million guaranteed.
In 2024, Cousins appeared in 14 games for the Falcons and completed 66.9 percent of his passes for 3,508 yards, 18 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.
We’ll have more on Cousins as the news is available.
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