Yesterday, 01:59 PM
The Atlanta Falcons plan to keep Cousins, the veteran quarterback, on their roster past 4 p.m. ET Saturday, triggering the guarantee on a $10 million roster bonus due in 2026, sources told ESPN's Field Yates and Adam Schefter.
The Falcons owe Cousins $27.5 million for 2025 whether they keep him or release him, so from a business sense, holding onto him as Penix's backup, albeit a very highly priced one, makes sense.
The $10 million roster bonus that becomes guaranteed Saturday is for 2026, and if Cousins is no longer on the team, the Falcons are subject to offsets. Atlanta holding onto him now bides the organization time to work on a trade.
For Cousins' part, he wants to be a starting quarterback in the NFL next season, and he has been frustrated by the current situation, a league source said.
According to a Sports Illustrated report, Cousins asked for and was granted a meeting with Falcons owner Arthur Blank last week. Atlanta would not confirm the report.
Cousins was also caught by surprise last year when the Falcons drafted Penix in the first round as his heir apparent.
If the Falcons were to trade him, Cousins would have to clear any deal. He has a no-trade clause.
ESPN
The Falcons owe Cousins $27.5 million for 2025 whether they keep him or release him, so from a business sense, holding onto him as Penix's backup, albeit a very highly priced one, makes sense.
The $10 million roster bonus that becomes guaranteed Saturday is for 2026, and if Cousins is no longer on the team, the Falcons are subject to offsets. Atlanta holding onto him now bides the organization time to work on a trade.
For Cousins' part, he wants to be a starting quarterback in the NFL next season, and he has been frustrated by the current situation, a league source said.
According to a Sports Illustrated report, Cousins asked for and was granted a meeting with Falcons owner Arthur Blank last week. Atlanta would not confirm the report.
Cousins was also caught by surprise last year when the Falcons drafted Penix in the first round as his heir apparent.
If the Falcons were to trade him, Cousins would have to clear any deal. He has a no-trade clause.
ESPN
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