The Atlanta Falcons and quarterback Kirk Cousins are going to need to make their partnership work, if solely as a result of they’re sort of caught collectively.
After Cousins performed largely commendable soccer for the franchise by means of the beginning of November, he’s been on a downward slope over the past month.
The Falcons are 0-3 in that stretch consequently, dropping an in depth recreation to the archrival New Orleans Saints, getting blown out by the Denver Broncos and most lately falling at dwelling to the Los Angeles Chargers due to a 4-pick Cousins recreation. A bye week is tucked in between Denver and L.A.
Cousins’ recreation in opposition to the Chargers is the one recreation the place you’ll be able to actively level to him as the obvious situation. He wasn’t nice in opposition to Denver and was simply satisfactory in opposition to New Orleans, however each of these video games featured deliriously icky play from the Falcons’ protection.
Nonetheless, in opposition to Los Angeles, Atlanta’s protection got here by means of after two weeks off and Cousins nonetheless threw the sport away with 4 interceptions. With 2024 first-round quarterback Michael Penix Jr. on the bench after a curious offseason the place the workforce added each gamers, the controversial chickens are coming dwelling to roost in Flowery Department.
Greater than any level within the season, even in Week 1 when Cousins appeared like a petrified statue within the pocket, the calls are rising for the Falcons to bail on Cousins and eventually flip to Penix for the longer term. With the Falcons at 6-6 and shedding grip on the NFC South, would Atlanta truly do that?
Most likely not. Barring the sort of epic collapse that makes the franchise suppose Cousins is past the purpose of no return, each the Falcons and Cousins have a lot of incentive to make their relationship work, at the least by means of 2025.
First, Cousins received the Falcons to 6-3 forward of a stretch of taking part in a hated rival and two of the highest 5 defenses within the NFL with Denver and Los Angeles. Whereas the quarterback was not what he wanted to be in that stretch, it’s arduous to disregard the video games the place Cousins has performed properly and the place he received the workforce when he was firing on all cylinders.
A largely motionless, older quarterback taking part in in opposition to elite defenses like Denver and Los Angeles might be not going to present you what you need. Cousins has by no means fared properly in opposition to strain, and people two groups are glorious at getting after the quarterback. Additionally they have excellent secondaries. Whereas Cousins stunk in opposition to the Chargers and underwhelmed in opposition to the Broncos, he is not going to face defenses of that caliber each single week.
To be trustworthy, Cousins’ greatest video games got here in opposition to struggling defenses this season, ones unable to get after him that allowed him to get right into a rhythm and slice up opposing secondaries with ease. He was stable in September, and fairly excellent in October, sans a tough recreation in opposition to the Seattle Seahawks that rattled him within the pocket.
Paradoxically, the Falcons’ six losses (Pittsburgh, Kansas Metropolis, Seattle, New Orleans, Denver, Los Angeles) all got here in opposition to groups with staunch cross rushes that had been capable of strain Cousins within the pocket. Atlanta’s protection struggled to various levels in all of these contests, however placing warmth on Cousins was a successful system.
That’s a little bit of a by means of line within the quarterback’s profession. For those who can’t contact Cousins and he’s free to do what he needs, he’s going to make you pay for it. It’s only a query of how a lot the Falcons can get out of him when he’s below duress along with his incapability to scramble. He’s who he’s at this level.
Penix isn’t a classically cell quarterback, however Cousins’ complete tenure in Atlanta shall be adopted by individuals calling for the previous Washington star when Cousins has a nasty recreation like he did in opposition to the Chargers. The Falcons felt so motivated to draft Penix for the longer term that they accepted this awkward dynamic within the interim, and it’ll be one they need to navigate very fastidiously till Cousins is elsewhere.
Even when it has its doubts, the workforce would possibly actually be caught with Cousins subsequent season, even along with his age and limitations. Atlanta would incur a $65 million lifeless cap hit if it lower Cousins outright subsequent spring, and a pre-June 1 commerce would solely take that quantity right down to $37.5 million. Plus, Cousins has a no-trade clause in his contract, so he must approve any potential suitor ought to a commerce come up.
It’s additionally truthful questioning if the Falcons might even discover a commerce associate subsequent 12 months if the workforce wished to maneuver on from the veteran. There simply aren’t many franchises that make sense for Cousins, and there most likely aren’t many franchises Cousins would really feel comfy becoming a member of at this level in his profession.
Cousins mentioned within the spring he needs Atlanta to be his closing cease. What number of groups would he truly need to be a part of at this level post-Falcons?
With quarterback-needy groups more likely to discover guys within the draft and quarterback Sam Darnold about to receives a commission as a free agent, Cousins may be down to groups just like the Cleveland Browns and Tennessee Titans as potential suitors (in the event that they’d even need him or be keen to tackle Cousins’ contract). His choices for a brand new dwelling can be slim until he was comfy being a backup or competing for the job with one other quarterback, which we actually doubt he can be at this level. May you blame him?
Plus, Falcons coach Raheem Morris has been adamant that Cousins is their man and so they have a plan for Penix they’re sticking with proper now.
The most probably state of affairs for the Falcons and Cousins is that these two sides nonetheless need to be with one another by means of the 2025 season. By that point, Cousins’ contract shall be a lot simpler to shed for Atlanta, Penix can have two years of creating behind the scenes below his belt and Cousins could attain the purpose of retirement if he feels he can now not play at a excessive degree.
For Atlanta, that will put a tough ceiling on their Tremendous Bowl aspirations if Cousins by no means regains the mobility to run a sturdy play-action passing recreation within the NFL. Nonetheless, he ought to nonetheless be competent sufficient to maintain the Falcons related and within the combine within the division till Penix takes over so long as he doesn’t regress along with his age to the purpose of being unplayable.
Even when Cousins was taking part in higher, Atlanta nonetheless has holes on its roster to repair and is technically within the first 12 months of a brand new regime with Morris and firm. There’s nonetheless work to be performed and development available for the Falcons to essentially contend within the NFC. Cousins can’t rush the passer. This workforce would most likely crumble in opposition to the NFL’s elite come playoff time, however that’s not a shock given the place the franchise is. This roster wants extra expertise, and this teaching workers wants extra time to discover ways to play in opposition to the league’s greatest groups.
Atlanta going 6-3 to start out the 12 months got here with an excellent little bit of luck and an excellent little bit of Cousins taking part in to his commonplace. With each of these fading over the past month, the workforce’s flaws are extra on show. The Chargers recreation lastly noticed the Falcons’ protection step up in a giant method, however then Cousins malfunctioned.
That’s simply what this 2024 Falcons workforce is, inconsistent. It’s why making the playoffs would really feel nice for the workforce and its followers however wouldn’t essentially sign a giant January run is coming. It’s why Cousins can’t solely be blamed for what occurs to the workforce this season, even when him persevering with to not play properly can be a giant push within the unsuitable route.
Even when Penix is true there and will most likely profit from beginning reps, there may be simply an excessive amount of pointing to the Falcons and Cousins exhausting all choices to make their marriage work.
Because the season goes on, the Falcons will face much less stiff defensive competitors. Don’t be stunned if Cousins begins to search out his footing in that point and justifying this partnership for at the least one other 12 months turns into a lot simpler (in concept). Even with Penix within the equation, this may nonetheless most likely be Cousins’ workforce for at the least one other season… barring catastrophe.
If it’s not, the franchise must settle for its signing of the veteran was a horrible transfer and personal the ache of not having the cap reward of Penix’s rookie contract due to Cousins’ towering lifeless cash hit. Denver made it work with Russell Wilson and Bo Nix, so possibly it’s not not possible… but it surely’s additionally not one thing you need to need to do.
For the way unusual this entire quarterback scenario has been for the Falcons, it’d be arduous to see the franchise taking that huge of a defeat with the Cousins signing. It’s much more possible Atlanta give Cousins one other season to be who they signed versus dashing Penix on the sector earlier than the franchise is prepared.
As with loads on this league, enterprise selections are likely to rule the day.
