Falcons’ weird offseason call on Kirk Cousins has fans asking why
Second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is the current and future face of the Atlanta Falcons. What does that make Kirk Cousins? Chopped liver? It's a strange dynamic and situation that should've already been resolved, but here we are.
Reporting on the Cousins-Falcons impasse has been messy since the team benched him in favor of Penix last season. At first, eating the four-time Pro Bowler's $10 million roster bonus due in mid-March to be a backup was "slim." Atlanta general manager Terry Fontenot contradicted the intel when addressing the media at the NFL Scouting Combine, saying the plan is to keep both passers.
Then, earlier this offseason, Dianna Russini of The Athletic revealed that despite interest in Cousins, the Falcons were unwilling to move him. Fast forward to the present, and Atlanta is ostensibly propping the 37-year-old up in hopes of rerouting him. What's going on? Why can't Fontenot and Co. just come to terms with trading someone who doesn't factor into their short- or long-term outlook?
Falcons fans are right to wonder why Atlanta hasn't traded QB Kirk Cousins
Are the Falcons worried about Penix's ability (or lack thereof) to be the guy under center or his checkered injury history? Perhaps they're afraid of trotting out 2019 fifth-round pick Easton Stick as their No. 2 signal-caller. But does that justify hanging onto Cousins as an absurdly overpaid reserve?
Cousins is set to make $40 million in the upcoming campaign to handle clipboard duties and maybe fill in for Penix. That's an egregiously steep price for someone who may have already taken his with the Falcons. How can the franchise's longtime owner, Arthur Blank, be comfortable with this?
Meanwhile, Cousins has let the media speak for him, though his desire for a fresh opportunity elsewhere has been abundantly clear. However, the Falcons seemingly don't want to eat a good chunk of the remainder of the four-year, $180 million contract he signed last March. But who wants to tell Atlanta they're consuming the whole enchilada by resisting?
Per the latest update from Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Cousins is "finally healthy again and has impressed in training camp" this summer. Moreover, the insider signaled the 14th-year veteran's potential openness to waive his no-trade clause for the right situation, heavily hinting at the Los Angeles Rams.
"Now, if there's a coach and scheme that Cousins knows well, for instance, the Rams and Sean McVay, it's certainly possible Cousins could end up elsewhere at some point between now and the Nov. 4 trade deadline," Pelissero states. Yet, the Falcons "anticipate" having Kirko Chainz as Penix's understudy.
AFC Notes: J.K. Dobbins, Bo Nix, Broncos, Chargers
Broncos
Bo Nix is entering the second year of his career after his breakout rookie campaign in 2024. Hall of Fame QB Peyton Manning is confident Nix is “made of the right stuff” to continue being a highly successful quarterback.
“Bo is made of the right stuff. He’s a little bit older, carries himself the right way. And all of it should help as he moves forward in his career,” Manning said, via Troy Renck of the Denver Post. “I am just happy that Bo is the established starter. For a number of years, they had quarterback competitions. That’s hard on the receivers, the coaches, the play-caller, and the quarterback. Now, they’ve got their guy.”
Manning thinks Nix showed talent beyond his years as a rookie.
“I just don’t see that as being a big factor for him. Rookie quarterbacks are supposed to struggle, and then the game slows down. But, it sure looked like it slowed down a lot for him last year,” Manning said. “Like with C.J. Stroud, Bo didn’t play like a rookie. … I believe experience is the best teacher, and he got great experience last year.”
Manning added that playing under Sean Payton for a second season should be beneficial for Nix.
“The continuity, more than anything else. There are times when guys go into their second year, and they are going on their third coordinator,” Manning said. “He has an experienced head coach in Sean, who is his play-caller. Having that same voice and verbiage is so critical. We expect Sean to be here for a long time, so Bo will use that to his advantage.”
Broncos
Broncos RB J.K. Dobbins had a resurgence in his career after missing 2022 with a knee injury and 2023 with a torn Achilles. His surgeon, Dr. Neal ElAttrache, said he grew a close relationship with Dobbins and praised him for his perseverance.
“I can’t say enough about him,” ElAttrache said, via Luca Evans of The Denver Post. “I mean, he’s the kind of guy that I would like to have as a friend forever. He’s that kind of person.”
ElAttrache pointed out that damaged ligaments can never return to their previous health, but Dobbins has worked hard on his rehab.
“You never want to expect they’re going to be 22 years old again,” ElAttrache said. “You can’t turn back the clock and go before, when he was that number one (running back) for the Ravens. But, having said that, his performance was still right there.”
Chargers
Chargers DC Jesse Minter still holds on to rejection letters from graduate assistant jobs that he applied to across the country, accumulating 98 in total. Minter said the rejections are a reminder to be grateful for where he is now.
“Because that’s just how I operate,” Minter said, via Daniel Popper of The Athletic. “It’s just that reminder of the joy that it is, the blessing that it is, the opportunity that you have, not to take it for granted and not to ever feel like you’ve arrived.”
Minter said he’s always tried to operate without an ego and build a culture of letting people know their value.
“A lot of coaches have crazy egos, and I think there’s a difference in being confident in yourself and sure of yourself, and then having an ego,” Minter said. “I’ve always tried really, really hard to not have an ego, to really try to build a situation where everybody feels like they have value, where everybody feels like they’re part of the success.”
- Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Chargers RB Najee Harris participated in three-straight practices last week and was cleared for contact on Friday.
