Things haven’t been looking upbeat for Kirk Cousins since the 2024 offseason. When he got the $180 million contract, it looked like his future with the Atlanta Falcons was set in stone. But the first blow came in the 2024 draft, when the Atlanta Falcons picked Michael Penix Jr. as his backup. And things haven’t gone north since then. The numbers continued to drop, till October saw a 4th quarter with Penix calling the shots. By December, it was official. The backup became the starter. And Kirk Cousins? He was watching the plays from the bench. But even as trade rumors continue to swirl around him, analysts now believe he’s not really planning to go anywhere.

As Kirk Cousins navigated this offseason, several teams were floated as potential landing places for him. The Steelers, Browns, and Vikings were among the most notable teams. But Pittsburgh finally has Aaron Rodgers, while the Browns have a 4-QB competition, and one hinting at a return. As for the Vikings, they’re set with J.J. McCarthy. And with the windows of opportunity closed, it looks like Kirk Cousins is here to stay in Atlanta. But as Tom Pelissero believes, Kirk Cousins might just be happy being the backup for now.

On the Rich Eisen Show, Tom Pelissero discussed the various trade scenarios that may be coming up this offseason. And one notable mention amongst them was Kirk Cousins. As Pelissero put it, “the caution that I would lend to that is the deeper into it that we get, the further into training camp and the preseason, the more that Kirk Cousins, a guy who is due this money, regardless of whether he’s playing or not, and has family in Atlanta and is raising his kids in Atlanta, might be pretty reluctant to go.” Kirk Cousins is due $27.5 million this year, and another $10 million in 2026. He already knows the playbook in Atlanta. So if an injury sidelines Michael Penix Jr., Kirk Cousins will be set to lead under center again. There’s also a no-trade clause in his contract to make it difficult for other franchises.

Tom Pelissero also added that if any other team’s QB suffers an injury, they might look to get Kirk Cousins from the Falcons, despite the price tag. As Pelissero put it, “We’ll be talking about Kirk Cousins a lot once injuries inevitably hit that position. But we really now are into territory with Aaron Rodgers agreeing with the Steelers where Kirk Cousins might be the Falcons backup unless and until an opportunity arises through injury or otherwise for him to actually step in the lineup and play football for the Falcons again.”

So, that’s the situation as of now. Cousins has also been missing from the OTAs recently, although he did make an appearance during the minicamps. So, he might even be on the fence about his role on the team. However, as analysts believe, the longer this drags on, the more likely it is that Kirk Cousins will stay in Atlanta.

Kirk Cousins staying put in Atlanta?

Kirk Cousins wanted to be the starter. He had made it abundantly clear on multiple occasions. But the franchises are already looking forward to the final week of the voluntary OTAs, and without enough time to absorb a new team’s playbook, a trade for Kirk Cousins becomes increasingly difficult. As Rich Eisen said, “Cousins might not be willing to go someplace if things remain status quo too deep. Sounds like a warning shot from his camp to tell the Falcons, ‘Be careful, man. Because if you want this money off the books, if you’ve been, you know, playing chicken with us this entire time, we might roost.’” So, is he roosting after all? For now, all signs point to that. And Atlanta has to write a $27.5 million check for their backup QB.

If a team does float the question of trading Kirk Cousins, the Falcons front office will not make it easy for them. According to reports, they’ve asked any acquiring team to pay $20 million from his guaranteed salary this year, along with a draft pick to sweeten the deal. While Tom Pelissero certainly believes there is still a chance for a trade to go through, Cousins won’t be all for it. If he stays in Atlanta, he gets a guaranteed paycheck and stays with his family. If a trade goes through, he’ll have to pack his bags, move to a new city, and learn a whole new playbook from scratch. As Pelissero put it, “Kirk Cousins’ own experience would tell you that that might not be an instantaneous yes.”

Kirk Cousins is staying in Atlanta. The former starter will now wait and hope for a chance to play for the Falcons. All the while, the Falcons will continue to go all-in with Michael Penix Jr. It’s a tough road ahead for Kirk Cousins. But if a trade scenario does spring up, do you think he will take it?