Kirk Cousins remains with the Atlanta Falcons after the 2025 NFL Draft, and with no obvious starting jobs available, he could remain Michael Penix Jr.'s backup for a while longer.
Joining Adam Schein on Tuesday on SiriusXM's Mad Dog Radio, Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said the club is in no rush to move Cousins.
"We just have to be patient there," Fontenot said. "We're always open -- not just talking about Kirk, but with really anybody on our roster -- we have a lot of those calls. I've probably talked to already six or seven GMs since the draft has ended, and they're talking about their roster, we're talking about our roster. Because after you get through the draft, that shifts some things in terms of needs and surplus and all that.
"So, we're always patient with those types of things because if something comes to us with Kirk or any other player that makes sense and it's gonna help this team, then we're gonna be aggressive and we're going to do it. And if it's not something that's gonna ultimately help this team, we always have to ask that question: Is it the best for the Atlanta Falcons, for this organization? And if it is, we're gonna be willing to do it, but all that communication is always ongoing."
In the post-draft period, the potential landing spots for Cousins have been filled. Cleveland's QB room is now chock-full, with five quarterbacks. The Pittsburgh Steelers seem destined to land Aaron Rodgers and drafted Will Howard in the sixth round. Even a team like the Saints added a rookie quarterback in the draft.
At this stage, patience is paramount for all parties. If Cousins is going to be a $27.5 million backup, it might as well be in Atlanta. Given that he's not traditionally one to upset the apple cart, the Falcons shouldn't have issues keeping the veteran around behind Penix.
The best bet at this point is to wait for an inevitable starting quarterback to fall prey to the injury bug. Whether it's a Teddy Bridgewater-type gruesome training camp injury or an early-season issue like Rodgers' popped Week 1 Achilles in 2023, waiting makes the most sense for the Falcons and Cousins.
