The Kirk Cousins signing couldn’t have gone much worse for the Atlanta Falcons, and the team is expected to release him despite the injury to first-round pick Michael Penix. After making a name for himself with the Washington then-Redskins and the Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta signed Cousins in 2024 to provide some much-needed stability to the quarterback position. While he was coming off a torn Achilles, Cousins was playing some of his best football prior to the injury. Clearly, Atlanta believes Cousins could recover his pre-injury form.
Unfortunately, the veteran quarterback never recaptured his old form. Despite his massive contract, Cousins lost the starting job midway through his first season with the team. He spent most of 2025 as a backup but had a chance to prove himself down the stretch when Michael Penix suffered an ACL injury. While he put up decent numbers, it wasn’t enough to justify his high salary.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Falcons are expected to release Kirk Cousins before the start of the 2026 league year. Cousins won’t see another $180 million contract, but the following teams could bring him in to compete for the starting job.
Falcons Expected to Release Kirk Cousins Before League Year
Cleveland Browns
Shedeur Sanders making the Pro Bowl says a lot more about the selection process than it does about the rookie’s season. While he made a handful of impressive throws throughout his inaugural campaign, Sanders’ overall body of work left a lot to be desired. Perhaps first-year head coach Todd Monken believes in the former fifth-round pick, but he should add some competition for a rookie who ranked at or near the bottom of just about every passing statistic last season. Kirk Cousins is good enough to start if need be, but he’s also not good to keep Sanders off the field if the Colorado product makes the Year 2 leap.
Miami Dolphins
Tua Tagovailoa is technically still under contract, but it’s safe to assume the Miami Dolphins will release the Alabama product before the start of the league year. While former Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator probably has his eyes set on impending free agent Malik Willis, Kirk Cousins could be a solid Plan B if the Falcons release him. Willis will likely earn a massive contract on the open market, and the Dolphins might not have the cap space to sign him. Cousins will be considerably cheaper and is likely still an upgrade on Tagovailoa.
Minnesota Vikings
Far and away the most likely fit on this list is a reunion in Minnesota. The Vikings wanted to re-sign Kirk Cousins, but the Falcons ultimately offered more money. After two years apart, it’s in the best interest of both teams to run it back in 2026. J.J. McCarthy had a disastrous 2025, and his poor performance ultimately led to the firing of former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. Cousins might not be the player he once was, but the four-time Pro Bowler knows the offense and has an established rapport with superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson.
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