The split between Kirk Cousins ​​and the Atlanta Falcons will be ugly, costly and public.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter believes the parting of ways is inevitable. And it doesn’t look like Cousins ​​is doing the Falcons any favors. As you recall, the multi-year contract Kirk Cousins ​​signed in March contains a no-trade clause that he can use. And after Atlanta blindsided Cousins ​​by selecting his heir apparent (Michael Penix Jr.) with the eighth overall pick in last April’s draft, there’s no reason to believe Kirk would want to do something good for the organization and pass up to facilitate a switch that will help the team get rid of some of the money owed.

MORE: “Falcons will add Michael Penix Jr. to starting lineup after benching Kirk Cousins”

Ultimately, the Falcons are expected to end up paying Cousins ​​$90 million for 14 games with the team and be done with him before his $10 million roster bonus takes effect on March 17. If only we could get a $90 million parting gift Our way out the door.

What’s next for Kirk Cousins ​​and the Falcons?

There is a non-zero chance that the Atlanta Falcons find a trade partner that Kirk Cousins ​​would waive his no-trade protection. Perhaps the unnamed executives in Schefter’s reporting are taking advantage of this situation to sweeten the trade pot and limit the Falcons’ flexibility this offseason. I just can’t imagine Atlanta ponying up more than $27 million to keep Cousins ​​as a backup. This idea is just as ridiculous as it was when people toyed with the concept of the Chicago Bears having Justin Fields play behind Caleb Williams. Something like this might work in a simulation, but not in real life.

When news like this breaks, I always immediately wonder what impact it could have on the Bears. The Chicago football team doesn’t need a quarterback and doesn’t have anyone to aggressively shop for on the trade market (unless you believe there’s a market for Tyson Bagent). Given the lack of top quarterback prospects in the upcoming NFL Draft, I would hope that Kirk Cousins ​​doesn’t end up with a quarterback-needy team that happens to be ahead of them in the draft order in April. Then again, I doubt the 36-year-old Cousins ​​would want to go to one of the ten worst teams in the league after his 14-game stay in Atlanta.

Still…it looks like a potentially fun situation to follow. This storyline could take so many different turns before the new league year begins in March 2025. So stay tuned.