The biggest story of the offseason for the Atlanta Falcons has revolved around Kirk Cousins and whether or not he will be still be a member of the team for the 2025 season. The Falcons signed Cousins to a lucrative contract prior to the 2024 campaign but ultimately had to bench him for rookie Michael Penix Jr. down the stretch due to his poor play, and the team has indicated that Penix Jr. will be the starter moving forward.

Many speculated that the Falcons would look to either trade or release Cousins this offseason in the wake of 2024-25's disaster, but neither has come to pass so far.

Recently, NFL insider Dan Graziano of ESPN broke down why he believes the Falcons have been hesitant to act.

“Stubbornness likely had something to do with it,” he reported. “They signed Cousins for $100 million in guaranteed money 14 months ago, and team ownership wasn't thrilled about the idea of releasing him after doling out all that money for 14 not-so-great games in 2024.”

Graziano also broke down why a trade hasn't materialized thus far.

“And when it came time to talk trade, the Falcons were asking interested teams to pay a significant portion of that remaining $37.5 million in guaranteed money. That meant those teams weren't offering the Falcons a return that Atlanta deemed worthwhile,” he reported.

Still, Graziano noted that the Pittsburgh Steelers could be a potential trade partner if they don't end up signing Aaron Rodgers.

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A tough spot for the Falcons

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) prepares for a game against the New York Giants at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

As things stand now, the Falcons find themselves in the unfortunate position of owing $40 million to their backup quarterback, one who has drawn the ire of essentially the entire fan base over the last several months.

The good news for the Falcons is that Michael Penix Jr. looked good in his three starts for the team, nearly leading them to a road win over the Washington Commanders in a late season matchup that was essentially a playoff game for both teams.

In any case, the Falcons still have some time to decide what they want to do about Cousins before next season.