The preseason is over, and the Falcons’ QB situation is already pure soap opera. Raheem Morris is catching plenty of heat for parking both Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins all preseason. Fans are itching to see the rookie, curious if the vet’s still got it, and so far? They’ve seen neither. Here’s the flip side: The current crisis indicates that having Kirk as QB2 is a luxury the Falcons cannot take for granted.

In the August 22 episode of Locked On Falcons, the hosts discussed why Easton Stick isn’t QB2. “We know Easton Stick was gonna have an Easton Stick moment. But other than that, he went 20-28 for 198 yards, a TD and a pick, not bad in case we have to enlist his services this season. But those Easton Stick moments are why Stick is a career number 3 QB and hasn’t quite elevated to number 2,” they joked. And that’s why having Cousins as QB2 is significant.

Let’s talk Easton first. In that preseason finale against Dallas, Stick went 20-of-28 for 198 yards with a touchdown and a pick. Steady enough, sure. But of course the turnover showed up right on schedule. That’s classic QB3 stuff: he can move the offense, but there’s always that one slip waiting to flip the preseason script.

Roll it back a week and it’s the same script, just shorter. Against Tennessee, Stick went 15-of-25 for 145 yards with a touchdown. But gave it right back with a pick-six. A clutch late strike followed by the one throw you simply can’t make if you’re trying to sell yourself as a legit QB2.

So, having one of the best QBs in the league as your QB2? Teams dream of that. Most QB2s are either rookies learning the ropes or vets who shift the whole offensive vibe when they step in. Cousins? Well, you know the quality. He’s a proven system guy who thrives in structure, so if the starter goes down, the playbook barely skips a beat. Usually, coordinators have to dial things way back for a backup. With Cousins, you’re running the offense at 90–95% strength. And after McGary’s injury, Morris will be forced to lean on him even more.

Yeah, why’s the QB2 spot suddenly such a big deal? After the preseason, Atlanta’s margin just got slimmer. Starting right tackle Kaleb McGary is out for “significant time” with a knee injury, and that’s the kind of domino that messes with protection schemes. And of course, the backup QB plan. When your right edge is shaky, you don’t want a project back there. You need a vet who knows the protection checks and can fire off the hot reads.

And that’s exactly why Kirk Cousins is a luxury there. And if you’re asking what that “veteran stabilizer” role actually looks like in this offense, Cousins already put it on tape last year: a 509-yard, 4-TD torching of Tampa Bay. Career-high stuff that eventually gave way to the rookie timeline. The point is, if you need someone to keep the operation steady when the roof starts leaking, Cousins has the receipts to prove he can do it.

And the best part is that he has fully embraced the role. This summer, he flat-out admitted he’s riding shotgun as QB2, but made it clear he’ll stay ready. That’s exactly the kind of tone you want in a room that’s got a rookie starter up front and a developmental No. 3 learning on the fly. So, how many realistic reps are we expecting from him?

How much playing time can Kirk Cousins expect?

Here’s the tightrope Atlanta’s on. Penix is QB1. The fact that both he and Cousins sat out preseason snaps tells you exactly where the Falcons want to be come Week 1. The plan’s simple: let the rookie grow with the full supporting cast, and keep Cousins ready as the break-glass emergency option, not part of a timeshare.

But the contingency math is real. Penix’s rookie-year sample in 2024 looked exactly like a rookie learning on the fly. 775 yards, 3 touchdowns, 3 picks in limited snaps. That’s why you build the whole plan around supporting him, while keeping a steady vet in the room in case shaky protection turns every first down into a weekly brawl.

Add in the McGary injury and the usual roster shuffling on that right side, and the odds of seeing QB2 in real snaps just went up. That doesn’t mean a full-on QB switch, of course. It just means you can picture a red-zone package, a hurry-up drive, or even a steadying relief stint if the game flow (or injuries) push Raheem Morris to make the call.

Bottom line: don’t expect timesharing between Penix and Cousins. But if the preseason tells us anything, Cousins will get his snaps. Not too many of them, but he will.