After being benched for Michael Penix Jr., what’s next for Kirk Cousins?

With Kirk Cousins now benched in Atlanta, it’s clear his time with the team is coming to an end. Unless Michael Penix Jr. suffers a major injury late in the season — or the Falcons fail to trade Cousins in the offseason and opt to keep him as a backup — Cousins will likely be playing elsewhere in 2024.

As noted repeatedly after the Falcons stunned the football world by using the eighth overall pick on Cousins’ eventual replacement instead of a player to help him win, the team’s front-loaded deal provides an easy out after one year — assuming Cousins is willing to waive his no-trade clause.

The Falcons owe Cousins $62.5 million for 2024. This includes a fully guaranteed $27.5 million salary for 2025 and an additional $10 million fully guaranteed in 2026. While $27.5 million is below the top end of the quarterback market — which hit $60 million with Dak Prescott’s deal — it’s still a significant investment. To facilitate a trade, the Falcons may even agree to cover part of his salary.

The bigger challenge, however, will be finding a team willing to trade for Cousins. Based on his recent performance, that’s far from guaranteed. After throwing four touchdown passes against the Cowboys on November 3, Father Time seems to have caught up with him. Over the past five games, Cousins has thrown just one touchdown pass against nine interceptions, with his passer rating dipping below 80 in each of those outings.