With Kirk Cousins ​​heading to the bench in Atlanta, it’s safe to say his time with the team is over. Unless Michael Penix Jr. suffers a serious injury down the road – or the Falcons are unable to trade Cousins ​​in the offseason and decide to keep him as a backup – he will be somewhere else in 2024.

After the Falcons shocked football fans by using the eighth overall pick not on a player who would help Cousins ​​win but instead on his eventual replacement, we’ve often pointed out that the early deal gave them a one-year deal allows for easy off. That means he is willing to waive his no-trade clause.

The Falcons will pay Cousins ​​$62.5 million for 2024. Cousins ​​has a fully guaranteed salary of $27.5 million for 2025, with another $10 million fully guaranteed in 2026. For veteran quarterbacks, $27.5 million is less than the top of the current market. who reached $60 million with the Dak Prescott deal.

It’s also possible the Falcons would pay some of the money to facilitate a trade.

First, someone must have a desire to trade for cousins. Based on his performance this year, that may not be a given. Father Time may have done what he inevitably does to all players after Cousins ​​threw four touchdown passes against the Cowboys on November 3rd. Since then, he has thrown one touchdown pass and nine interceptions in five games. His passing percentage fell below 80 in each of those games.

Second, Cousins ​​must be willing to waive his no-trade clause. Perhaps he won’t be fazed and will happily take $27.5 million to replace Penix in 2025 and otherwise challenge the Falcons to cut him.

A trade before June 1 would trigger a $37.5 million cap hit through 2025. That’s still less than his $40 million cap hit for next year and saves $27.5 million in cash.

Cutting him after June 1 would result in a $40 million fee, but the Falcons would count whatever he earns elsewhere, even if it’s just the league minimum.

Not many teams will be looking for a starter in the offseason. The current candidates are the Jets, Browns (if they can get him cheaply), Steelers (if they don’t re-sign Russell Wilson or Justin Fields), Titans, Raiders, Giants, Saints and perhaps the Seahawks.

Then there are the 49ers. With Brock Purdy not rising as many had hoped, coach Kyle Shanahan could finally reunite with the player Kyle and his father Mike drafted in 2012 as an insurance policy for Robert Griffin III.

Finally, don’t rule out the Rams. Cousins ​​is still a younger option than Matthew Stafford, and coach Sean McVay (who, like Shanahan, worked with Cousins ​​in Washington) holds Cousins ​​in high regard.