Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot held a press conference at the NFL Draft Combine Tuesday, but the focus was on a player already on the Falcons roster.
Fontenot told reporters that the team plans to keep quarterback Kirk Cousins on the roster.
The Falcons signed Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal before the 2024 season. It has not gone as well as either party hoped.
During a four-game losing streak last year, Cousins threw no touchdowns and eight interceptions. That losing streak took them from first place in the NFC South to a tie for the division. Rookie Michael Penix Jr. couldn’t pull the Falcons out of the spiral, and the Falcons missed the playoffs.
Cousins said he was injured after the week 10 game against the New Orleans Saints, but Fontenot said Tuesday that the team was unaware of any injury concerns.
That losing streak happened during and after the week 10 game, which lends credence to Cousins’ claim. He threw for almost 3,000 yards, 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions before the week 10 game. The next five games, he threw one touchdown and nine interceptions.
Cousins is set to make $27.5 million in base salary this season, leading to a $40 million cap hit for the Falcons. Another $10 million will become guaranteed for 2026 if Cousins is a Falcon on March 17.
Head coach Raheem Morris said that Michael Penix Jr. is the quarterback of the future, making Cousins a potentially very expensive backup.
