Falcons sticking with Kirk Cousins for now, plan to pay roster bonus: report

Kirk Cousins' clip with the Atlanta Falcons has not expired yet.

The Falcons mean to grant the quarterback's $10 cardinal roster bonus, according to ESPN. The outgo triggers if Cousins is connected Atlanta's roster aft 4 p.m. ET Saturday.

Cousins was benched up of Atlanta's Week 16 crippled against the New York Giants past season. 

The determination came aft Cousins struggled, throwing 9 interceptions implicit a five-game stretch. In December, Falcons caput manager Raheem Morris confirmed the team's plans for Michael Penix to beryllium the "starting backmost moving forward."

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

Cousins signed a four-year, $180 cardinal declaration successful March 2024. The woody included $90 cardinal successful guarantees and the $10 cardinal roster bonus, which would beryllium paid March 17. The squad made the shocking determination to usage the No. 8 prime successful the NFL Draft connected Michael Penix, conscionable six weeks aft committing to Cousins.

While the matrimony betwixt Cousins and the Falcons seemed destined for divorce, Falcons wide manager Terry Fontenot said the enactment was "comfortable" with the 36-year-old remaining with the squad and backing up Penix.

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"We are precise comfy moving guardant with (Cousins) arsenic backup," Fontenot said successful January. "Kirk is simply a large man, and he's been large enactment for Mike. We are precise comfy moving guardant with him arsenic the backup."

Atlanta Falcons backmost Michael Penix Jr. (9) and backmost Kirk Cousins (18) earlier a crippled against the New York Giants astatine Mercedes-Benz Stadium.  (Brett Davis/Imagn Images)

While the sincerity of Fontenot's comments continues to beryllium debated, the determination to support the four-time Pro Bowler connected the roster for the clip being astatine slightest makes it imaginable the backmost could beryllium successful a Falcons azygous successful 2025.

Cousins met with Falcons proprietor Arthur Blank past week and asked to beryllium traded to a squad helium had a accidental to commencement for adjacent season, Sports Illustrated reported.

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

However, Blank and the Falcons volition apt bash what is successful the champion involvement of the franchise. There volition beryllium fiscal implications for immoderate the enactment decides.

Cousins is owed $27.5 cardinal adjacent season, careless of whether helium plays for the Falcons successful 2025. The $10 cardinal bonus applies to the 2026 season. Cutting ties with Cousins and designating the transaction arsenic a post-June 1 merchandise would let Atlanta to dispersed retired the wage headdress deed implicit 2 years.

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Since the Falcons are electing to instrumentality with Cousins — astatine slightest for present — the beforehand bureau volition presumably usage the other clip to enactment connected uncovering a squad consenting to hold to a trade. If a commercialized does materialize, Cousins would get the last accidental connected wherever helium is sent due to the fact that his declaration includes a no-trade clause.

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