Kirk Cousins free-agent market is about to be more expansive than previously thought

The Atlanta Falcons' Kirk Cousins' era appears to be over after the team benched the veteran starter for rookie Michael Penix Jr. ahead of their Week 16 matchup with the New York Giants. Things started out well for Cousins, who was sparking some MVP buzz earlier in the season, but his play deteriorated as Atlanta's division lead dwindled, culminating with a sloppy performance in Las Vegas on Monday night against a bad Raiders team inspired head coach Raheem Morris to make the change.

The move to Penix all but guarantees Atlanta will cut Cousins in March to minimize their dead salary cap charges and give the rookie a clean shot to be their franchise quarterback. That news isn't necessarily doomsday for Cousins' career as his list of potential suitors could be more robust than initially anticipated.

Kirk Cousins could be this offseason's Russell Wilson

If the Falcons cut Cousins prior to March 17, they will save $10 million on their salary cap by avoiding his 2026 roster bonus. There will still be $65 million in dead money for Atlanta to absorb, but Penix's rookie scale contract makes it easier for the Falcons to rip the bandaid off and get their books in order as fast as possible.

ESPN's Adam Schefter notes that this situation is very similar to what played out with Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos, who cut him last spring to get out of his onerous extension before he even played a snap on it. With any signing from his new team offset by the guarantees Denver had to pay out, Wilson chose to sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers for $1.2 million, which has turned out to be a bargain as he has led them to the postseason while giving the team a lift over Justin Fields' performance over the first six games.

Cousins could opt for the same strategy by signing for the minimum with a team of his choosing, allowing squads with salary cap issues to pursue him as an option. One potential option could be the Cleveland Browns, who employ Cousins' former offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski as their head coach and could be looking for a hedge on their disastrous Deshaun Watson bet while they ride out the rest of his fully guaranteed contract.

Taking the minimum would give Cousins freedom to select which opportunity in the NFL gives him the best path to resurrect his career. Being another year removed from his 2023 season-ending Achilles injury could also help Cousins move closer to recapturing his old form, making him a good option for teams in need of an upgrade under center with low risk and high reward.