After benching Michael Penix Jr., what’s next for Kirk Cousins?

With Kirk Cousins ​​heading to the bench in Atlanta, it’s safe to say his time with the team is over. Unless Michael Penix Jr. suffers a serious injury down the stretch — or unless the Falcons can’t trade Cousins ​​in the offseason and decide to keep him as a backup — he’ll be somewhere else in 2024.

As we pointed out many times after the Falcons shocked the football-following world and spent the eighth overall pick not on a player who would help Cousins ​​win, but on his eventual replacement, the front-loaded deal gives them an easy out after one year. If that is, he is willing to waive his no-trade clause.

The Falcons will pay Cousins ​​$62.5 million for 2024. Cousins ​​has a fully guaranteed salary of $27.5 million for 2025, with another $10 million fully guaranteed in 2026. As veteran quarterbacks go, $27.5 million less than the top of the current market, which hit $60 million with the Dak Prescott deal.

It’s also possible the Falcons would pay some of the money to facilitate a trade.

First, someone has to want to trade for Cousins. Based on his performance this year, that may not be a given. Father Time may have done what he inevitably does to all players after Cousins ​​threw four touchdown passes on Nov. 3 against the Cowboys. In five games since, he has one touchdown pass and nine interceptions. His passer rating has dipped below 80 in each of those games.

Second, Cousins ​​must be willing to waive his no-trade clause. Maybe he’ll dig in and happily take $27.5 million to be Penix’s backup in 2025 or else the Falcons dare to cut him.

A trade before June 1 would trigger a 2025 cap charge of $37.5 million. That’s still lower than his $40 million cap figure for next year, and it saves $27.5 million in cash.

Cutting him with a post-June 1 designation would trigger a $40 million tax, but the Falcons would get credit for whatever he earns elsewhere, even if it’s only the league minimum.

Not many teams will be looking for a starter in the offseason. The current contenders are the Jets, Browns (if they can get him cheap), Steelers (if they don’t re-sign Russell Wilson or Justin Fields), Titans, Raiders, Giants, Saints and maybe the Seahawks.

Then there are the 49ers. With Brock Purdy not stepping up as many had hoped, coach Kyle Shanahan can finally reunite with the player Kyle and his father, Mike, drafted in 2012 as the insurance policy for Robert Griffin III.

Finally, don’t rule out the Rams. Cousins ​​is still a younger option than Matthew Stafford, and coach Sean McVay (who, like Shanahan, worked with Cousins ​​in Washington) has a lot of respect for Cousins.