Kirk Cousins is only a backup for the Atlanta Falcons, and a very expensive one at that. But the Falcons don’t have any problems with the status quo.

What is the future of Kirk Cousins with the Atlanta Falcons? Does the NFL team want to get rid of the expensive veteran after his demotion?

Not necessarily, as general manager Terry Fontenot explained.

“We feel very comfortable using Cousins as our backup,” Fontenot said. “Kirk is a great guy and a great support for Mike. We feel very comfortable using him as our backup.”

Cousins was benched after a string of poor performances before Week 16, with rookie Michael Penix taking over. With the rookie starting at the playmaking position, the Falcons missed the playoffs. But he is now the man of the future – earlier than expected.

Kirk Cousins: The Falcons had different plans

Fontenot admitted that they signed Cousins because they expected “two years of high-level quarterback play,” and he admitted that “the plan was for Kirk to play longer and Mike to sit on the bench longer.”

But Cousins, who was given a lucrative four-year contract, failed to live up to expectations. The plan didn’t work out.

It’s interesting that the Falcons can live with Cousins as a backup, since he would then be an incredibly expensive backup. According to OverTheCap, Cousins’ cap hit in 2025 is $40 million. This year, he is scheduled to receive a guaranteed salary of $27.5 million. That’s a lot of money for a backup.

Recently, there were rumors that he could be released because a roster bonus of ten million dollars would be due in March. Fontenot rejected the reports of plans to part ways.

If the Falcons release Cousins before June 1, they would have to swallow a dead cap of $65 million. After June 1, the dead cap would be $40 million. According to Fontenot, however, the Falcons do not want to go down that route.

So the option of a trade remains, although Cousins has a no-trade clause in his contract and it is unclear whether he would be willing to waive it. “We’ll take things as they come,” said Fontenot. “Everyone would have to agree to it. It’s a very complex matter.”