Tag: Kirk Cousins

Opinion: Saints should follow Falcons’ example and cut ties with Derek Carr

The Atlanta Falcons are expected to move on from Kirk Cousins, and the New Orleans Saints should consider following suit with Derek Carr:

The Atlanta Falcons are expected to release quarterback Kirk Cousins sometime between now and March after less than one full season starting on the team. This is because of a string of poor starts for the veteran quarterback, and ultimately a lack of true upside, which could hinder the team long-term if they were to retain his contract.

Many of the reasons the Falcons are moving on from Cousins sound like the same issues the New Orleans Saints are facing with Derek Carr. Large contracts with multiple years remaining that could hinder further team development, both have a .500 winning percentage this season when under center, both have a low upside compared to other options on the team, and both have been barely skating by in performances this season.

While the Saints do not have a first-round pick quarterback from the most recent draft class to turn to, they do have a high upside option in Spencer Rattler, as well as what could end up being a top ten draft pick in the 2025 NFL draft. To be clear, I am not a huge proponent of this quarterback draft class, but there are a few strong options that could develop into above average starters. The Saints have been stuck in their ways of trying to compete with an older roster for awhile now, and extending their veteran talents on enormous contracts. Now, most of those contracts look poor in hindsight outside Alvin Kamara and Demario Davis, and the Saints are still well below .500 on the season.

My belief is the Saints need to use their 2025 offseason to get Derek Carr off the roster, considering there is a potential out in his contract where the Saints would only be dealing with the one season of dead cap hit worth approximately $50 million, and build for the future instead. However, there is the option of making Derek Carr one of their June 1st designations where they would only go $10 million into the red instead of $50 million, which would be a significantly preferrable option. Odds are you are going to be dealing with a dead cap hit from other players anyways, including Ryan Ramczyk who is likely to retire at the current juncture.

Drafting a quarterback in 2025 and having them compete for the starting role with Spencer Rattler would likely be a good way to see what you have, and then build around one or the other for the future as the cap hits of the veterans clear up over time. This isn’t even a matter of “kicking the can down the road” anymore, it’s about finding financial flexibility to add youth to your roster and start finding ways to phase out some of the veterans who may want to leave or retire in the coming two to three seasons. Who knows what road the Saints will actually take, but if they are looking for a new head coach in 2025, giving them the chance to build from nearly scratch seems like a better offer than the current roster provides.

Report: Atlanta Falcons plan to release Kirk Cousins after only one season

ESPN reports the Falcons are looking to move on from quarterback Kirk Cousins after only one season of him playing in Atlanta:

The Atlanta Falcons made an intriguing decision this offseason, and that was giving Kirk Cousins a four-year, $180 million contract with $90 million guaranteed at signing, before drafting another quarterback in Michael Penix Jr. in the top ten picks of the 2024 NFL draft. This move received an exceptional amount of fan and media criticism, and for good reason as the move was questionable at best. Things have changed now however, with the pick of Penix Jr. looking like the better of the two moves, rather than the signing of Cousins looking better initially.

A report from Adam Schefter of ESPN came out early Saturday morning with the news that Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons are expected to part ways sometime between now and Mar. 17, 2025 when his $10 million roster bonus is due. This comes after Cousins was formally benched during the week for Penix Jr. in lieu of a string of bad performances by the veteran signal-caller, and despite some good mixed in there, the Falcons have opted for the rookie instead.

The Falcons were on a four game losing streak before Week 15, where they managed to scrape by the lowly Las Vegas Raiders by a score of 15-9, where Cousins only threw for 112 yards with 1 touchdown to 1 interception. The offense stalled out, and ultimately that was the tipping point for the Falcons’ front office, as they will now move on to another option.

Why Falcons benching Kirk Cousins after a win was unsurprising

Why The Falcons benching Kirk Cousins was unsurprising, even after a win.

Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons snapped a four-game losing streak with Monday night’s 15-9 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.

All positive things, right?

Technically, yes, considering the Falcons are still in the playoff hunt after squandering what was once a comfortable lead in the NFC South.

So, why did the team choose to bench Cousins now? And why isn’t anyone surprised by the move at all?

Well, Cousins has not been the same quarterback that he was for the better part of the first nine games. The celebration of “Kirktober” and the hope for a “Kirkvember” that would roll on for the rest of the season are long gone.

Cousins has thrown for one touchdown and nine interceptions over the last five games, but his decision-making has been a bigger concern than his stats.

And if you watched closely, it’s clear there was not a lot of faith in Cousins as the team moved through the game against the Raiders. He only attempted 17 passes, connecting on 11 of those attempts for 112 yards.

For perspective, Cousins finished 10 of his 14 starts with at least 29 pass attempts. Simply put, Atlanta looked conservative. And purposefully conservative at that.

Cousins addressed his benching in a recent press conference after head coach Raheem Morris had indicated that the level of play at the quarterback position was not up to par.

“I didn’t forget how to play quarterback,” Cousins during a press conference on Tuesday. “Certainly the turnovers were not what you want. But I didn’t forget how to play.”

While the veteran quarterback surely isn’t thrilled about losing his job, he understands the nature of the sport.

“There’s a standard that I have for myself and the team has for me,” Cousins continued. “Unfortunately, I wasn’t playing up to that standard consistently enough. It is what it is. You roll with it, and you still get ready. … The story’s still being written.”

For now, the Falcons will look to the young gunner Michael Penix Jr. to save the rest of the season with three games left. We’ll see if the rookie can have the kind of impact that many are anticipating.

Penix’s first NFL start is against the 2-12 New York Giants this Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

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Michael Penix Jr. learned of his Falcons promotion while he was getting a Costco hot dog

Costco hot dogs for the win.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. was making a routine errand run with his girlfriend when he got a life-changing phone call.

Penix said he learned on Tuesday evening during a Costco run that his team was planning to start him moving forward over veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins.

Funny enough, the new starting Falcons quarterback told Atlanta media on Wednesday that he was actually in line to get a Costco hot dog when he got the news.

“I was actually getting a hot dog [when the call came in],” Penix said, via Fox 5 Sports’ Mary Alex Anders. “And whenever I got the call, I wasn’t hungry no more.”

That is absolutely wonderful. Penix was never promised a chance to start a game during his rookie season, but his time to enter the Atlanta starting lineup has come much sooner than expected because of Cousins’ struggles.

As he prepares for such a major step in his NFL career, he’ll have this funny Costco memory to look back on as the moment he finally learned of his chance to lead the Falcons.

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Falcons make a quarterback change in attempt to catch the Bucs

Fast forward a month and a half, and now the tide has shifted, and the Falcons are losing, and they are making a coaching change. 

The Atlanta Falcons had the NFC South in the palm of their hands while they had beaten the Bucs twice this year. They were leading the NFC South at one point while the Panthers, Saints, and Bucs all were figuring out who would finish where.

Fast forward a month and a half, and now the tide has shifted and the Falcons are losing, and they are making a coaching change.

Kirk Cousins, who signed a four-year contract with the Falcons in March, is now benched for the team’s top draft pick from April. They are rolling with Michael Penix Jr., who was one of five quarterbacks selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

While the future of Cousins is unknown, what is known is that the Falcons are doing what they can to catch the Bucs. Luckily for them, if they continue to win, Tampa Bay will win the NFC South.

Wins against the Dallas Cowboys, Carolina Panthers, and New Orleans Saints are all that stand between them and the NFC South division title.

Falcons bench former Vikings QB Kirk Cousins for top draft pick

The Falcons could be moving on from Cousins one year into his four-year deal.

In amidst a playoff run and a potential division title, the Atlanta Falcons are making a big change with three games remaining. News came across the TV screens on Tuesday evening that the Falcons were benching starting quarterback Kirk Cousins in favor of first-round rookie Michael Penix Jr.

Cousins left Minnesota this past offseason for a massive four-year $180 million contract. Instead of signing Cousins to a long-term deal, the Vikings instead drafted J.J. McCarthy in the first-round of the 2024 NFL Draft and signed Sam Darnold to a one-year deal — Minnesota clearly got the better end of things.

Atlanta has been spiraling with Cousins behind center. Cousins has thrown for over 3,500 yards and 18 touchdowns, but he has also thrown 16 interceptions, which is already a career-high in a single season.

Cousins wanted to feel like he was wanted by an organization which was partly why he left Minnesota, but after being benched for the prized rookie, Cousins’ days appear to be limited in Atlanta.

Commanders will not be facing Kirk Cousins in Week 17

The Falcons benched Kirk Cousins in favor of rookie Michael Penix Jr.

The Washington Commanders are 9-5 and currently hold the seventh seed in the NFC playoff picture. They host the Eagles on Sunday before finishing the season against the Falcons and Cowboys.

On Tuesday, the NFL flexed Washington’s Week 17 game against Atlanta onto Sunday Night Football. Two teams battling for a playoff spot would feature Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels against Kirk Cousins.

Not anymore.

After his recent struggles, the Falcons benched Cousins 14 games into his first season with the franchise. Last offseason, Atlanta gave Cousins a four-year, $180 million contract with $90 million fully guaranteed. Cousins has completed 67% of his passes for 3,508 yards, with 18 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.

Starting in place of Cousins is rookie first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. Penix was selected eighth overall in the 2024 NFL draft. It was a controversial selection, considering the contract Atlanta had given Cousins only a month earlier.

Cousins spent the first six seasons of his NFL career with Washington. He was drafted in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL draft and appeared in 62 games, with 57 starts. Cousins left the franchise after the 2017 season and spent the next six years with the Minnesota Vikings before signing with the Falcons in March.

Cousins, 36, tore his Achilles in October 2023. but returned in time for Week 1 of the 2024 season.

The Falcons are 7-7, two games behind the Commanders for the seventh seed.

Tuesday produces starting quarterback shuffles around NFL

Tuesday saw three NFL starting quarterbacks sent to the bench

The point has been reached in the NFL season where coaches can no longer live with their starting quarterbacks.

And when that happens, you know what it means. Some players are benched in favor of former backups. That took place with three teams on Tuesday.

Raheem Morris and the Falcons signed Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract as a free agent. They also drafted Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. in the first round as a nod to the future.

The future is now in Atlanta and Morris will start Penix on Sunday against the Giants. It’s a luxury of sorts given how poorly the Giants have played. A great spot to give Penix some run while Cousins sits. His confidence and performance have crumbled in recent weeks and the change felt imminent even after Atlanta beat the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 15.

For all his charm and the love thrown his way, Jameis Winston has been his erratic self in Cleveland. He has thrown eight interceptions in the last three games and that was enough for Kevin Stefanski to say, “Enough.”

Winston takes a seat and clipboard and he will likely be replaced by Dorian Thompson-Robinson when Cleveland plays at Cincinnati on Sunday. Thompson-Robinson won’t provide the roller-coaster ride that came with Winston but  there is no guarantee the results on the scoreboard will improve.

Speaking of erratic and inconsistent, Tennessee has decided it is time to pass on Will Levis as its starter. He will likely be replaced by Mason Rudolph, who has thrown for more than 1,000 yards with six TD passes and five INTs in 2024/

The Kirk Cousins experiment for the Falcons was a failure, but both sides can still rebound

This ugly breakup can still have a happy ending.

It was never going to end well for the Atlanta Falcons and quarterback Kirk Cousins.

The shock drafting of rookie Michael Penix Jr. in the 2024 NFL Draft turned a real honeymoon phase for Cousins and Atlanta into a doomed romance.

Even with all the detailed explanations, it never made concrete sense why the Falcons wanted to expend so much long-term capital on Cousins in free agency and draft the person who would eventually replace him in the same offseason. The real reasoning was probably much more awkward.

The best guess is that Atlanta signed Cousins with real intent of turning things around with him at the helm, fell head over heels for Penix as a prospect when it was too late to undo the Cousins signing, refused to let Penix get away and drafted him despite the dynamic it would create.

The Falcons always had a tantalizing rookie quarterback waiting in the wings for a time such as this, one where Cousins’ physical limitations, age and confidence all took the downward slide to being borderline unplayable.

For as much as the idea of Cousins contending with the team for two or three seasons before an organic passing of the torch to Penix sounded great on paper and in press conferences, there was always the possibility that this timeline would hit the hyperdrive if Cousins struggled in a meaningful way.

Cousins throwing nine picks and a lone touchdown in five games, looking like a statue in the pocket and going 1-4 in that stretch served as the catalyst to his Tuesday benching.

Monday night’s abysmal performance from Cousins against a lowly Las Vegas Raiders defense sealed it. Even though Atlanta got the win, the offense looked stuck in place with Cousins throwing the ball and unable to escape even the smallest sliver of defensive pressure. The writing was on the wall.

The Falcons, at 7-7 and showing real promise on defense, special teams and in the run game, had to look at the stagnant passing game, the quarterback behind it and make the impossibly difficult decision to admit defeat.

Make no mistake about it. Atlanta signing Cousins will be one of the great failures of the 2024 NFL offseason, and the much-derided Penix draft pick wound up the Falcons’ blessing in disguise to finding an immediate path forward from the eventual misstep of signing Cousins.

While Cousins played well during the month of October (as he typically does), he consistently struggled against top-tier defenses. As he’ll be 37 next season, it’s fair to wonder if Father Time has just come to show Cousins the door. It’s always possible he will be healthier and more like his old self with more time separated from his 2023 Achilles injury, but it’s not a lock.

With his contract very tradable, another NFL team could very easily send a mid-round pick to Atlanta this spring to give him a chance. Perhaps Cousins will want to retire and avoid any further decline in what’s been an admirable career in the NFL. It’s hard to know what Cousins is thinking right now, but his benching signals his days of being a Falcons have been cut short.

Penix will inherit a good offensive line and plenty of options in the passing game to finish the season, and it’s possible he starts a playoff game next month if Atlanta can punch a ticket to the postseason. Even if the team falls short, a winning record is still well within reach. Getting Penix some live reps before the 2025 offseason is a win with where things are for the team.

The process to Penix starting has been flawed for Atlanta. The team guaranteed Cousins $100 million to start in 14 games and split them down the middle for wins and losses. That is nearly a Russell Wilson/Denver Broncos-level whiff for veteran quarterback acquisition.

However, like the Broncos, the Falcons can make this work if their rookie quarterback can play at a high level (or at least run the offense with success). Cousins can probably redeem himself with a new franchise next season if he’s able to rebound from his dismal 2024 spiral, too

Both sides in this ugly breakup have made some bad mistakes, Atlanta off the field and Cousins on it. However, the heart will go on if Penix works out for the Falcons and Cousins can close his career on a positive note elsewhere. It’s just a wash for the Cousins era in Atlanta.

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Social media reacts to Falcons benching Kirk Cousins for Michael Penix

Those around the NFL had a lot to say about the Falcons benching Kirk Cousins for Michael Penix Jr.

The day many were anticipating is now here. The Atlanta Falcons have benched starting quarterback Kirk Cousins in favor of former Washington Huskies signal-caller Michael Penix Jr.

Head coach Raheem Morris released an official statement on Tuesday evening ahead of the team’s upcoming game against the New York Giants.

“After review, we have made the decision Michael Penix will be the Atlanta Falcons starting quarterback moving forward. This was a football decision and we are fully focused on preparing the team for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants.”

The 24-year-old was selected with the No. 8 overall pick by the Falcons in the 2024 NFL draft, and he’s got the chance to make a major statement with Atlanta in the playoff hunt.

Penix had a standout career at Washington, completing 65.4 percent of his passes with 36 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in his final season. He also tallied a CFB-high 4,903 passing yards.

Social media reacts to Penix being named starter

It will be interesting to see how things shake out with Penix making his first NFL start against the Giants in Week 16. Sunday’s game is set to kick off at 1 p.m. ET in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

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