Here are the Falcons cap ramifications regarding Kirk Cousins

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. – Kirk Cousins ​​stood at the podium in the press room at the Atlanta Falcons facility Wednesday afternoon, about 24 hours after being informed by head coach Raheem Morris that he would no longer be the team’s starting quarterback.

Morris announced Tuesday that rookie Michael Penix Jr. would be the team’s No. 1 QB “moving forward.” Cousins ​​had thrown nine interceptions in five games compared to just one touchdown pass. The Falcons went 1-4 during that stretch, falling from first place in the NFC South to a 7-7 record and barely hanging on in the playoff race.

Cousins, who threw a league-leading 16 picks, faced the media and was asked, among other things, if he still considered himself a starter in the NFL.

“I haven’t forgotten how to play quarterback,” Cousins ​​said. “Sure, the turnovers weren’t what we wanted, but I didn’t forget how to play.”

Cousins, 36, likely won’t be the No. 1 in Atlanta anymore, even though Penix has yet to start a game and anything is possible. Penix, who the team took 8th overall in April’s NFL Draft, will get the ball Sunday against the New York Giants (1 p.m. ET, Fox).

For the remaining three weeks of the season, Cousins ​​said he would offer his support to Penix and the team. After that, things are very uncertain and the chances of the 13-year veteran returning to the Falcons as a backup seem slim.

Cousins, who has a no-trade clause, will have a say in his future, as will the Atlanta front office. These decisions, as is almost always the case, will be at least partly financially motivated. Cousins ​​signed a four-year contract worth $180 million last offseason, with about $100 million guaranteed.

The Falcons could cut Cousins. If they do so before the start of the 2025 league year (March 12), they will receive $65 million in dead money, coming from his fully guaranteed base salary of $27.5 million and 37 $.5 million remaining prorated, based on the workforce management system. If they do so with a designation after June 1, the dead money will span the 2025 and 2026 seasons: $40 million in 2025 and $25 million in 2026.

A trade would be another option, if Cousins ​​gives the green light. Cousins ​​played well earlier this season and could be attractive to teams that think he will be better in 2025, two years after surgery to repair a torn right Achilles. He has experience as a quality quarterback for over a decade, which is why Atlanta signed him to such a lucrative contract in March.

If the Falcons traded Cousins, they would have to pay the remaining $37.5 million prorated, while his $27.5 million fully guaranteed base salary would transfer to his new team. It’s also likely that Atlanta will have to eat up some of that $27.5 million in a deal.

Cousins ​​also has a $10 million bonus for 2026 that would be fully guaranteed by Day 5 of the 2025 league year.

Cousins ​​will get the guaranteed amount – no matter where he ends up – and there’s a good chance the Falcons will be faced with how his contract affects their salary cap for the foreseeable future.

Atlanta general manager Terry Fontenot has done a good job leading the franchise out of salary cap purgatory over the past three seasons. He’ll have to get creative now with the team’s big signing not working out as hoped.

As for Cousins, he worked out with the Falcons’ scout team in practice Thursday and Morris said Cousins ​​told him he plans to be the best No. 2 quarterback in the league over the remaining three weeks (or more if the Falcons sneak into the playoffs). ).

What will happen next seems very uncertain.

“You’re kind of one day at a time right now, and you’re still in this league,” Cousins ​​said, “and in the offseason, that’s when the conversations happen, but We’re not there yet.”