N/S Falcons GM Terry Fontenot says he’s perfectly comfortable with Kirk Cousins being a $100-million backup QB in ‘25 (1 Viewer)

[Waymer]

The Falcons have some paths they could take here. It's easy to say no one would trade for Cousins or the Falcons won't keep him, but don't be too sure. His contract is not that big an albatross moving forward.

• The Falcons could cut Cousins now, but there would be no cap savings (but also no dead money). So speaking just financially, keeping Cousins vs cutting him makes no difference in the cap. (However, obviously from a cash flow standpoint it's money he must be paid, and that does matter to owners without question if the benefit is debatable).
• A post-6/1 cut is an option, leaving them with $25M on the books next year.
• They could also hang onto him and see if a team suffers an injury and would give some middling pick for him. The cap ramifications are actually better in 2025 for the Falcons if they do that -- but of course you have to hold on to Cousins for that timeline, so the cap isn't the priority there. A mid-season trade for Cousins or before isn't that crazy, because the guarantees in his contract will be gone after 2025.
• They could truly keep him if ownership doesn't balk at the cash flow. They can cut Cousins outright next year with a cap savings.

Lot's of options. I don't think Fontenot is lying when he says they could keep him, but he's also trying to leverage the situation they've found themselves in. Frankly I think he's most likely speaking to Kirk and his agent here as much as anything. "We'll keep you around, no problem. Of course you could work with us on your contract and we might could get you to another team, etc."

I do still think at the end of the day the most logical move is that he is cut though. Simply because no owner wants to pay $27.5M to someone who is likely/hopefully of "no use" to the team.

 

[Rouxble]

Keep in mind that the Falcons will pay $12m less than us for their QB room next year, so that’s one big difference. Cousins’ pay for 2025 is $27.5m versus $40m for Carr.

I still think the Falcons will move on, a $10m roster bonus in 2026 becomes guaranteed if they don’t. I really doubt they want to pay $38m for a one year backup.

 

[Deuuuuce]

Keep in mind that the Falcons will pay $12m less than us for their QB room next year, so that’s one big difference. Cousins’ pay for 2025 is $27.5m versus $40m for Carr.

What’s the difference in pay between Penix and Rattler? Considering that and the draft capital (top ten pick) , the Falcons are way more invested in Penix than we are in Rattler.

 

[St. Widge]

Tell that to the head coach who is just trying to win football games.

Coaches start young and rookie QBs all the time when they could be starting better veteran QBs. They do it because at some point young QB needs to play to get better. Most of them are going to struggle for at least a year, but they could end up being better in the long run than those currently better veterans and that coach could then win more games in the long run.

In our situation, a new HC is very likely to at least get 3 years to prove himself before he would get fired. He's got two years to build the team in the draft and find a young QB before the cap is clear and there will be real expectations of winning anything.

 

[Deuuuuce]

Coaches start young and rookie QBs all the time when they could be starting better veteran QBs. They do it because at some point young QB needs to play to get better. Most of them are going to struggle for at least a year, but they could end up being better in the long run than those currently better veterans and that coach could then win more games in the long run.

In our situation, a new HC is very likely to at least get 3 years to prove himself before he would get fired. He's got two years to build the team in the draft and find a young QB before the cap is clear and there will be real expectations of winning anything.

Another thing the coach has to consider though is how the players will respond if the best qb is not on the field. Think about being a WR going in to a contract year and your coach is not putting in the best QB. That wouldn’t sit right with a lot of the players unless it was clear Rattler was the better QB.

 

[BoxerJoe]

The major difference here is that Kirk played his way out of the job. Carr was better than Rattler this season so he shouldn’t lose his job just because he got hurt. It should be a true open competition, not just giving the job to Rattler because he is younger.

100% this and that is why the two situations are not directly comparable. Cousins threw 1 TD & 9 INTs in his last 5 starts with the team going 1-4.

 

[Hubig]

Rattler gets himself in big trouble the moment his first read is taken away. Something he needs to get better at, his accuracy wanes way too much as the game goes on as well. Just not convinced, there are things at the fundamental level going on with him beyond whether or not he is playing with starters.

 

[St. Widge]

Another thing the coach has to consider though is how the players will respond if the best qb is not on the field. Think about being a WR going in to a contract year and your coach is not putting in the best QB. That wouldn’t sit right with a lot of the players unless it was clear Rattler was the better QB.

Sure. But in the case of the Saints, the reports are that the players all love Rattler and think he has a lot of potential. And players can think long term too and they play with rookie and young QBs that are being developed all the time.

 

[BayouSAINTJoe]

Penix is the better option right now for the Falcons.

Carr (unfortunately) is the better option for us

 

[Rouxble]

What’s the difference in pay between Penix and Rattler? Considering that and the draft capital (top ten pick) , the Falcons are way more invested in Penix than we are in Rattler.

Penix obviously received a signing bonus as an earlier pick, but he and Rattler are both earning $960k in 2025.

 

[Broad St. Saint]

Penix is a first round pick and won games.
Rattler didn't. Can't really judge Rattler too hard based on these circumstances.

Penix won one game, singular, vs the New York Giants.

That said, I agree that for the Falcons, Penix should go in instead of Cousins next season.

Rattler was unable to win a game as a starter.

 

[No2DC]

Remember they cut Ryan, so I'm sure this is a probability they considered when drafted him. It's not a bad problem to have.