The Atlanta Falcons are barreling toward another quarterback reset, and this one may finally bring clarity — not just for the future of the position, but for Kirk Cousins’ next act as well. According to ESPN, the Falcons are expected to release Cousins before the start of the new league year in March, a move that would allow the veteran quarterback to choose his next destination — or decide whether he wants one at all — while reopening the quarterback picture in Atlanta.
That uncertainty looms especially large for Michael Penix Jr., the 2024 first-round pick who is recovering from a torn left ACL suffered in November. With a new front office and coaching staff now in place, Atlanta has yet to commit to Penix as its long-term starter, making Cousins’ contractual situation one of the first dominoes to reportedly fall in defining the position’s future.
Atlanta recently restructured Cousins’ contract in a way that made a breakup feel inevitable. His 2026 base salary was slashed from $35 million to $2.1 million, with the remaining $32.9 million pushed into 2027. That 2027 salary balloons to $67.9 million and becomes fully guaranteed if Cousins is still on the roster when the league year begins in mid-March. The Falcons, not surprisingly, are expected to avoid that scenario.
Releasing Cousins gives Atlanta financial flexibility and gives Cousins something he has long valued: control. Few quarterbacks have navigated free agency better than the 37-year-old, who has consistently landed fully guaranteed deals. Whether that market still exists is an open question, but Cousins is expected to be open to continuing his playing career, while also weighing television opportunities — including a postseason appearance on NFL on CBS — and even retirement.
On the field, Cousins’ stint in Atlanta was uneven but not ineffective. He completed 61% of his passes for 1,721 yards with 10 touchdowns and five interceptions this past season, going 5-3 in his starts. In 2024, Cousins opened the year as Atlanta’s starter and made 14 starts before eventually ceding the job to Penix.
That instability carried into 2025, when Penix started nine games before his season-ending knee injury forced Cousins back into the lineup. The Falcons went 3-6 with Penix under center, a split that only added to the questions facing the new regime.
Those questions intensified after the Falcons fired coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot following a second straight 8-9 season. Atlanta hired Kevin Stefanski as coach and Ian Cunningham as general manager under new president of football Matt Ryan, who spent 14 seasons with the franchise and led it to a Super Bowl LI appearance.
Penix has said he expects to be ready for the 2026 season opener, but Ryan has been careful not to anoint him the starter.
“Neither of us are the head coach of the football team, so we can’t answer your question on that,” Ryan said earlier this week while introducing general manager Ian Cunningham. “But I think all of us are going to get together. Ian’s been a part of it for, I guess, three days, and has had a lot on his plate during that time. I think as we start to get into this process and dive deeper into the roster, how it currently stands, where it’s going in the future, I think those are conversations that’ll be a part of it.”
Cousins’ release would formally reopen the quarterback door in Atlanta. For Penix, it means opportunity paired with uncertainty. For Cousins, it means freedom. And for the Falcons, it underscores how unresolved the most important position on the roster remains, even as one expensive chapter appears ready to close.
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