The Atlanta Falcons have held firm on keeping veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins. Despite him becoming the clear backup behind Michael Penix Jr. and unhappy with his situation, the Falcons aren’t going to cut him. Nor will they give him away. Speaking with Adam Schein, Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot offered an update on Cousins’ future.
“We just have to be patient there,” Fontenot told Schein on SiriusXM. “We’re always open, not just talking about Kirk, but really anybody on our roster.”
Fontenot noted that he’s already spoken with “six or seven” general managers post-draft, though they were general conversations about rosters and not specific to Cousins’ status. The Steelers reportedly had pre-draft talks with the Falcons about Cousins, though it’s unclear how far those discussions progressed.
Pittsburgh’s focus remains on Aaron Rodgers, but its peripheral vision could be set on Cousins as a fallback option. For any reason, if Rodgers doesn’t sign with the Steelers, the team will likely pursue another veteran to either start or back up Mason Rudolph. Kirk Cousins would be the next logical quarterback to consider even if there are major questions about his ability after falling apart in 2024. He finished the year with a league-high 16 interceptions across 14 starts.
Working out a deal won’t be easy either. Any team wanting to acquire Cousins will likely want the Falcons to eat some of Cousins’ large salary.
“If something comes to us with Kirk or any other player that makes sense and it’s going to help our team, then we’re going to be aggressive and we’re going to do it,” Fontenot told the show.
Cousins also carries a no-trade clause, though he’s likely to waive it if given the chance to start somewhere like Pittsburgh.
Ideally, the Steelers never get to this point. If Rodgers signs, Cousins will no longer be a possibility. But until that happens, Pittsburgh has to keep its options open. And if training camp is looming and Rodgers still hasn’t provided an answer, the Steelers could feel the heat of securing a Plan B that might become a new Plan A.
