Disclaimer: The statements and opinions regarding players and/or potential future players in the article below are those of the AtlantaFalcons.com editorial staff and are not indicative of the Atlanta Falcons' football personnel unless noted in a direct quote.
INDIANAPOLIS — With the new league year right around the corner and the NFL Combine beginning bright and early Tuesday morning when general managers and head coaches take to the podiums in Indianapolis, it's important to set the stage. And for the Falcons — namely Terry Fontenot and Raheem Morris — the questions about Kirk Cousins will be right at the center.
Both men were clear in how they view Cousins and his contract. Morris expressed that the decision to replace Cousins for Michael Penix Jr. with three games left in the season was a "football decision." Fontenot said the Falcons "feel comfortable" moving forward with Cousins as Penix's backup. And yet, conversations about Cousins' future in Atlanta have swirled, especially when Cousins said on Good Morning Football he was working through a shoulder injury after the Falcons' loss to the Saints in Week 10. This was not something Cousins disclosed during the season when asked about any injury.
So, where does all of this leave us?
Well, Fontenot and Morris will speak for the first time since their post-season press conferences this week. They will make their media rounds in Indianapolis Tuesday morning. Some of the most pointed questions they will be asked by both local and national media will be about Cousins and his future in Atlanta. So, let's just go over some fast facts about the contract itself to catch you up to speed.
Editor's note: Contract information is gathered from OverTheCap.com.
• Cousins is entering the second year of a four-year deal, but the way the Falcons and Cousins' team constructed the deal, it's essentially a two-year guaranteed deal. His guaranteed base salary in 2025 is $27.5 million. His base salary in 2024 was $12.5 million.
• Cousins' cap hit is $40 million in 2025. That makes up 14% of the Falcons' cap as it stands (though it should be noted this percentage could fluctuate as the final salary cap number is set by the league in the coming weeks. It could rise by more than $20 million from the 2024 number).
• The current deal does include a no-trade clause that Cousins' team would have to waive for a trade to happen. If that clause is waived, that still wouldn't mean that a trade would happen. The Falcons would have to agree to the terms of a presented trade. There are a lot of variables here. However, it is important to note that as things currently stand, if both sides were to come to a trade agreement, a hypothetical trade could produce these two outcomes in 2025:
- If Cousins is traded prior to June 1, the Falcons would take on $37.5 million in dead money with $2.5 million in cap savings.
- If Cousins is traded after June 1, the Falcons would take on $12.5 million in dead money and $27.5 million in cap savings.
• Cousins is due a $10 million roster bonus on March 17. Though it was reported by ESPN in December that the Falcons would part ways with Cousins prior to this date, Fontenot said in January those reports were unfounded and the Falcons are planning on moving forward with Cousins on the team. Still, the Falcons always reserve the right to release him. If they were to do so, here are the two possible outcomes for 2025:
- If Cousins is cut prior to June 1, the Falcons would carry a $65 million dead money hit, all of which would count towards the cap.
- If Cousins is cut after June 1, the Falcons would carry $40 million in dead money and save $0 towards the cap.
