Schefter: Falcons Likely Keeping Kirk Cousins Until After NFL Draft

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins may be in for a long wait before finding a new team.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins will likely be on the roster until at least the end of the 2025 NFL draft. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Falcons are at a standstill with quarterback Kirk Cousins.

With Cousins still on Atlanta's roster, the 36-year-old received a $10 million bonus that applies to the 2026 cap. It also means the Falcons gain nothing by releasing Cousins, who told owner Arthur Blank he wants to go to a place where he can start in 2025.

Atlanta can still trade Cousins -- but such a move likely won't come any time before the 2025 NFL draft ends April 26, according to ESPN insider Adam Schefter.

"The Falcons feel like, if they trade him, the acquiring team would then be responsible for that $10 million roster bonus, which is why'd they be willing to keep him around," Schefter said Monday on NFL Live. "But it's just more guaranteed money for Kirk Cousins, who would like a change of scenery.

"Both sides are dug in right now. It doesn't seem like we'll get anything now on Kirk Cousins until after the NFL draft at the earliest."

After signing a four-year, $180 million last March, Cousins battled highs and lows across 14 starts with the Falcons. He completed 66.9% of his passes for 3,508 yards, 18 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.

Over his final five starts, he threw only one touchdown and nine interceptions while the Falcons went just 1-4.

Cousins later said he suffered right elbow and right shoulder injuries in a Week 10 loss to the New Orleans Saints, which started his slide. The Falcons disagreed, noting he was on the injury report after Week 10, cleared to play in Week 11 and didn’t appear on the report again.

Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer wrote Monday that Cousins, who the Falcons say they're fine with serving as the backup to Michael Penix Jr. in 2025, won't report to any non-mandatory offseason programs.

Breer noted draft weekend will be an important time for Cousins -- for multiple reasons.

"A team or two would officially take itself out of the market for Cousins," Breer wrote. "And maybe a team or two would be left desperate for a quarterback of his caliber, if it came out of the first day of the draft without a viable starter."

So, what happens over the next five weeks leading into the start of the first round April 24? Evidently, an intense -- but likely fruitless -- game of tug-of-war.

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