Falcon Report

Report: Kirk Cousins Won't Show Up to Falcons Offseason Program

Quarterback Kirk Cousins isn't expected to appear at the Atlanta Falcons' offseason program.

Daniel Flick

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins doesn't plan on showing up to offseason activities.
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins doesn't plan on showing up to offseason activities. / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
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Since being benched for then-rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. on Dec. 17, Atlanta Falcons signal caller Kirk Cousins has largely only talked -- and shown up -- when required.

And that reportedly won't change with the Falcons' spring workouts and practice.

"Cousins doesn’t plan on showing for the offseason program," Sports Illustrated insider Albert Breer wrote. "He may show for mandatory minicamp to avoid taking the fines."

The decision comes amid outspoken statements from the Falcons' brass that Cousins is the team's backup to Penix. Cousins held the role for the final three games of the season after he was benched.

"We are very comfortable moving forward with (Cousins) as backup," general manager Terry Fontenot said during his end-of-season press conference Jan. 9. "Kirk is a great man, and he's been great support for Mike. We are very comfortable moving forward with him as the backup."

Fontenot declined at the time to say whether Cousins would accept being a backup. At the NFL combine, Atlanta's decision makers -- Fontenot and head coach Raheem Morris -- reaffirmed their stance that Cousins is the No. 2 passer.

By keeping Cousins on the roster, the Falcons will now pay $100 million guaranteed to the 36-year-old passer while holding out hope they can receive trade compensation for his services at some point this offseason.

If not, an already awkward situation may grow even worse.

After signing a four-year, $180 million last March, Cousins battled highs and lows 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.

Atlanta will start its offseason program with voluntary workouts in April. Cousins will likely be on the team's roster -- but evidently, he's not expected to show face around team headquarters in Flowery Branch.

The Falcons, meanwhile, will need a legitimate backup quarterback. In a meeting with owner Arthur Blank, Cousins expressed his interest in heading somewhere he can start in 2025. That doesn't appear to be Atlanta.

Cousins and Penix aside, the Falcons have only one other quarterback on their roster: Emory Jones, who spent the final two weeks of the regular season on the practice squad and signed a reserve/futures contract in January.

Atlanta feels it has its franchise quarterback in Penix, who went 58-for-100 passing for 737 yards, three touchdowns, three interceptions and one rushing score in three starts to close the season.

But a three-game sample size leaves room for false hope, and for a Falcons squad hoping to snap a seven-year playoff drought, having a viable solution at backup quarterback is important.

And at this point, it appears Atlanta needs more than Cousins.

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Daniel Flick
DANIEL FLICK

Daniel Flick is an accredited NFL writer for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Daniel has provided boots-on-ground coverage at the NFL Combine and from the Atlanta Falcons' headquarters, among other destinations, and contributed to the annual Lindy's Sports Magazine ahead of the 2023 offseason. Daniel is a co-host on the 404TheFalcon podcast and previously wrote for the Around the Block Network and Georgia Sports Hospitality Media.

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