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The Atlanta Falcons made only five picks in the NFL Draft. They made a big trade to get back into the first round and take James Pearce Jr just after taking Jalon Walker. Those players are going to try and provide a consistent edge rush to a team that has not had one in decades. The Falcons gave up a lot of picks to make that move, and many thought they could recoup some by trading quarterback Kirk Cousins. But the veteran is still on their team after the draft. ESPN's Marc Raimondi has more on what that means for both sides.
“But what the team did not do is move Cousins, which some had anticipated. After the draft and its quarterback machinations, there doesn't seem to be a natural landing place for him at this moment, and it seems realistic he continues being Michael Penix Jr.'s backup through the offseason,” Raimondi reported.
His colleague Dan Graziano thinks Cousins is in Atlanta for the long haul. “With free agency and now the draft having come and gone, it's fair to wonder whether Cousins will end up being traded this offseason or whether he'll have to wait until next spring to get loose from his current situation.”
The Falcons have said they will not cut Cousins because they are comfortable having him as the backup. Graziano reported that they weighed some trade options, but want a team to take on a lot of his salary. After a dreadful season in Atlanta, there aren't any teams that are going to do it.
Michael Penix Jr is the unquestioned starting quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons. If he gets hurt, is Kirk Cousins good enough to keep them afloat? He wasn't last year, but he is in Atlanta for now as training camp approaches.
