Kirk Cousins' divorce from the Atlanta Falcons is expected to be finalized before his $10 million bonus is due March 17, with league executives expecting the team to release him by then, reports Adam Schefter of the ESPN network.
The separation between Cousins and the Falcons is inevitable at this point, according to multiple sources at The Informer.
Team executives across the NFL who are watching the situation have pointed out that because of the no-trade clause in Cousins' contract, he now has all the leverage — and no one thinks that he'll do favors for a Falcons team that surprised him on draft night by selecting another quarterback — Michael Penix Jr. — in the first round, then benching him this week in favor of the rookie.
Thus, the Falcons will not be able to trade Cousins, several executives believe, so that they will have to release him before March 17, the date on which his $10 million bonus for the 2026 season must be paid. The Falcons don't need to absorb additional costs for a quarterback who has already cost them $90 million over 14 games.
For a second consecutive season, Cousins should therefore become a free agent.
The Falcons announced Tuesday that Penix was their starting quarterback “starting immediately” with three games left in the season, sending Cousins to the bench just months after he signed a four-year contract and $180 million, of which $100 million is guaranteed.
The Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets, New York Giants, Las Vegas Raiders, New Orleans Saints, Cleveland Browns and Tennessee Titans are expected to be looking for a quarterback. back on the free agent market next off-season. And as usual, there aren't enough quarterbacks to go around, which could work in Cousins' favor.
Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said Wednesday that the biggest factor in the decision to leave Cousins on the sidelines was his mistakes. Cousins leads the NFL with 16 interceptions, and his 12 fumbles tie him with Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield for the most in the NFL.
The Falcons (7-7) are in second place in the NFC South Division, but the tiebreaker puts them ahead of the first-place Buccaneers (8-6). The Falcons have a 20 percent chance of making the playoffs, according to projections from ESPN's Football Power Index.
Atlanta hosts the Giants (2-12) on Sunday, where Penix will start for the first time in his career.
