Raheem Morris and the Atlanta Falcons are staring at a tricky 2026 offseason, especially when it comes to the quarterback room. The reason is fairly straightforward. Michael Penix Jr. is sidelined after tearing his left ACL last month. And with his return timeline still unclear, the franchise is left weighing what comes next for Kirk Cousins in Atlanta.

However, when asked about the situation, Morris didn’t offer any definitive answers. Instead, he made it clear that, for now, everything remains on the table. “Anything can happen. We will for sure discuss all of the options when the end is near,” the head coach said, per the Falcons’ beat writer, Terrin Waack.

From a performance standpoint, Cousins has largely held his ground since Penix went down. In six starts, he’s gone 3–3 while averaging 194.2 passing yards per game with eight touchdowns and four interceptions. If you set aside his rough Week 14 outing against the Seattle Seahawks, where he finished 15-of-30 for 162 yards with no touchdowns and two picks, Cousins has completed at least 60% of his passes in five of those starts.

Still, Morris’s comments, paired with the uncertainty around Penix’s recovery, don’t exactly signal that Cousins’ future in Atlanta is locked in. And the reason is easy to see. On paper, the veteran quarterback is signed through the 2026 and 2027 seasons. In reality, he carries a $57.5 million cap hit in each of those years.

That number alone is enough to force a serious conversation. The Falcons could consider moving on from Cousins as early as this March, before his $10 million roster bonus hits on the fifth day of the new league year. And from there, things get even more situational.

Whether Cousins is under center in Week 1 of 2026 may hinge on one key question. Does the current regime of Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot return next season? If the answer is yes, we can expect Cousins to remain the starter until Penix is fully healthy. If not, the quarterback room could see a reshuffle.

As Morris already made clear, everything is on the table. Which direction the Falcons choose is still unknown. But the uncertainty isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Meanwhile, Morris has also offered an update on his second-year quarterback’s injury status.

Raheem Morris says Michael Penix Jr. is back in the building with the Falcons

Michael Penix Jr. has been sidelined since Week 11, when he exited the game against the Carolina Panthers with a left knee injury. Not long after, the team confirmed Penix had torn his left ACL, requiring surgery and bringing his season to an early end. Fast forward to now, and there’s at least some positive movement. Head coach Raheem Morris announced that Penix has returned to the facility and has begun his offseason process.

“(Penix’s) back with us, rehabbing, in the building, great spirits, starting his offseason planning,” Morris said. “All of us really, at the end of the season, do a 360 on each player, and he’s been able to start his 360. So starting his 360, being able to get him going, all the stuff.

“Right now, obviously, it’s all medical-related, rehab, things of that nature. But discussions on moving forward and correcting some of the things you want to correct, getting them better, things you want to get better, getting them stronger, faster, doing all the different things, that’s already started for him.”

Top Stories

Sean Payton Announces Retirement Plans as Broncos HC Demands Improvement From Bo Nix & Co. Before Playoffs

Dez Bryant Unloads on Jerry Jones & Cowboys Over ‘Blackmailing,’ Defends Micah Parsons in Negotiations

Philip Rivers Announces Retirement Decision After Colts Benched 44-YO QB

Former Packers QB Makes Decision on Shark Tank’s Offer for His $850K Business

Sean McDermott Announces Bad News for Bills After Massive Update on Josh Allen’s Injury

Penix went down after taking a hit in the third quarter against Carolina. And once the diagnosis was confirmed, Kirk Cousins stepped in to run the offense while Penix began his recovery. That shift effectively closed the book on what had been a challenging second season for the young quarterback. Statistically, Penix showed flashes.

He completed 60.1% of his passes for 1,982 yards with a 9-to-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Still, the consistency was never fully followed. For now, the focus is simple: rehab, recovery, and improvement. Penix is back in the building, and Morris expects growth from his quarterback. As for Cousins’ future, that decision will ultimately hinge on how Penix’s recovery timeline unfolds.