Given Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins’ struggles, it’s no surprise that the team is announcing that he is in no danger of being benched this year. Anything less wouldn’t help Cousins ​​get out of his three-game slump and reinvigorate the team’s push for the NFC South crown.

Focusing on Cousins’ short-term status misses a far more important question. Who will be the Atlanta starter in 2025?

When the Falcons surprised everyone (including Cousins) by making Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick in the 2024 draft, speculation began about how many years Penix would stay at the top spot. Three is the maximum. Two became the loose consensus.

Recent developments point to this and are done for Cousins.

He’s only expected to make $27.5 million in 2025. This makes his contract very tradable. And while many will scream about his no-trade clause, will he choose to stay and not play or move to a team where he is a starter?

A trade would mean the Falcons would spend $62.5 million on a one-year rental for Cousins. Yet they were willing to undermine that investment when they wrote “Penix” on a card.

Whether this turns into a two-year stay depends on Cousins. He has to turn things around, starting today. On his return to Minnesota. The last time he played, he had one of the best games of his career, beating the 49ers on Monday night.

Six days later he left the field for the last time as a Viking. It may only be five more games before he can do the same as a Falcon.