Falcons say Kirk Cousins participating in voluntary offseason program was unsurprising, despite trade rumors

Kirk Cousins' tally with the Minnesota Vikings came to an extremity conscionable implicit a twelvemonth ago. The seasoned backmost signed a four-year declaration with the Atlanta Falcons past March.

The presumption of Cousins remains a backdrop to the Falcons' plans for Thursday's NFL Draft. The seasoned awesome caller near immoderate observers amazed erstwhile helium reported for the archetypal time of the team's voluntary offseason program.

But, Falcons wide manager Terry Fontenot said helium was not among the radical who were amazed by Cousins' appearance. 

"I wouldn’t accidental a surprise," Fontenot said. "This is simply a voluntary thing. Whether a subordinate comes oregon doesn’t come, we person a batch of bully professionals who we cognize are going to instrumentality attraction of their bodies, including Kirk."

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Atlanta Falcons backmost Kirk Cousins (18) enters the tract earlier the crippled against the Minnesota Vikings astatine U.S. Bank Stadium.  (Jeffrey Becker/Imagn Images)

Cousins' accomplishment successful Atlanta past offseason presented him different accidental to start, but his clip arsenic the Falcons' starter was yet short-lived. After a drawstring of interception-riddled performances, the Falcons benched Cousins successful December successful favour of then-rookie Michael Penix Jr. 

Cousins remained the backup for the last 3 games of the season, with galore believing helium had taken his past drawback successful a Falcons uniform.

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Since the extremity of the regular season, the Falcons attempts to commercialized Cousins to different franchise person proven unsuccessful. Atlanta has been reluctant to merchandise the quarterback, apt owed to the fiscal implications. Cousins' wage for the upcoming play is afloat guaranteed.

Atlanta Falcons backmost Kirk Cousins (18) prepares for a crippled against the New York Giants astatine Mercedes-Benz Stadium.  (Brett Davis-Imagn Images)

Fontenot has said the squad is comfy having Cousins stay with the squad arsenic the backup for the 2025 season. Falcons caput manager Raheem Morris echoed akin sentiments astatine the caller NFL meetings successful Florida, saying the squad inactive feels "very powerfully astir Kirk being our backup quarterback."

General manager Terry Fontenot of the Atlanta Falcons speaks to the media during the NFL Combine astatine the Indiana Convention Center connected February 27, 2024 successful Indianapolis, Indiana.  (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Morris besides acknowledged Cousins would similar an accidental to start, adjacent if for different team.

"We won’t clasp him backmost if accidental presents itself," Morris said. "He's made it wide he’d similar to beryllium a starter."

Earlier this month, Falcons proprietor Arthur Blank confirmed helium had an hour-long treatment with Cousins astir his lasting with the team. 

"I took 5 pages of notes, virtually 5 pages of notes," Blank said. "It could not person been a much cordial and much respectful conversation."

WSB-TV was the archetypal to study Cousins' information successful the Falcons' offseason activity. His information comes amid a study from The Athletic's Senior NFL Insider, Dianna Russini, which stated astatine slightest 3 NFL teams person involvement successful acquiring Cousins.

Russini listed the Steelers, Browns, and Vikings arsenic the clubs Cousins could perchance onshore with. Per the presumption of his contract, Cousins would person to springiness his support earlier immoderate commercialized he's progressive successful becomes official.

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 A commercialized for Cousins could materialize astatine immoderate constituent during the draft, per the report.

"It’s believed that Cousins would beryllium against immoderate commercialized that involves sending him to a concern involving a young QB, akin to the concern helium faced successful Atlanta past year. If a commercialized were to happen, I’d expect it to spell down connected Saturday," Russini wrote.

Fontenot said his precedence remains with trying to amended the Falcons roster. 

"We’re going to bash what’s champion for this shot team, whether that’s a commercialized oregon immoderate it is," Fontenot said erstwhile asked astir his involvement successful trading Cousins.

The Falcons presently clasp the No. 15 prime successful the draft.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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