The Atlanta Falcons received some very tough news on Wednesday with star quarterback Michael Penix Jr. needing surgery to repair his ACL. The estimated recovery timeline will be at least nine months, according to NFL Insider Ian Rapoport.
That means backup Kirk Cousins will be taking the reins for the team's final seven games of the regular season after taking over in the fourth quarter of Atlanta's 30-27 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. The 37-year-old hasn't started a game for the Falcons since Oct. 26 when, coincidentally, he led the team in place of an injured Penix against the Miami Dolphins, a 34-10 loss.
Falcons and Kirk Cousins both need to find success in final weeks of 2025-26 season
Cousins is in year two of a four-year, $180 million deal he signed with Atlanta in 2024, shortly before the team drafted Penix in the first round. He's owed $70 million in base salary alone over the next two seasons and if Penix is supposed to be the team's QB of the future, that's a waste of money just to have Cousins as a backup.
The four-time Pro Bowler likely wants to be playing meaningful football for the amount of cash that's being sent his way too. Atlanta is probably glad they have him under contract to try and salvage their season this year despite the cost.
But ultimately Cousins' presence on the Falcons' bench is not destined to last the next two years. He's going to want to finish his career as a starter, especially after seeing how other rejects like Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield have re-invented themselves and extended their careers.
Cousins' 3,508 passing yards and 18 touchdowns last year aren't anything to turn one's nose up at, especially with QB needy teams like Miami, New Orleans and Pittsburgh looking for bridge options after this year. Cousins would fit their bill easily while they shop for rookies in the upcoming drafts, it's just whether they would take the albatross of a deal he's on to build that bridge.
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Atlanta would have to retain some of that salary to sweeten any kind of deal made after this year but they'd free up a considerable amount of cap space regardless to fund a new weapon or another offensive lineman to protect Penix going forward.
Cousins comes with a $57.5 million cap hit next season. The team only has $15.25 million in space for that campaign as of now and it gave up its 2026 first round draft pick to the Los Angeles Rams during the 2025 draft to move up for James Pearce Jr. The Falcons will need all that cash to spend on an impending free agent like right tackle Braden Smith or Jonah Williams since they likely won't land a top talent in next year's draft.
Three of the Falcons' next seven games are against current playoff contenders (Seattle, Tampa Bay and the Rams). Nobody should expect Atlanta to win those games but they'll be gigantic opportunities for Cousins to prove he's still got what it takes to compete.
The biggest metric he'll need to succeed in is turnovers. Cousins threw for a league-leading 18 interceptions in 14 games last year. He'll have to really protect the football and throw no more than 4 or 5 in these next seven games to quell any fears he's a liability. Teams will be looking for dependability not just yardage if they're going to invest in a veteran on his last (yet still strong) legs.
For the hardcore fans, mark those three contests on your calendar as must-watch television and then keep an eye on what the front office's plans will be come January.