This week marks the beginning of offseason training activities (OTAs) for NFL teams across the league. Twenty teams took to the field on May 27 for the first day of the four-week training program.
The Atlanta Falcons were one of the first teams to take the field, with one notable absence: quarterback Kirk Cousins. Falcons coach Raheem Morris said Cousins was not at the opening day of the voluntary activities.
Cousins is coming off a down year by his standards. He signed the biggest contract in free agency last offseason and started 14 games for the Falcons in 2024. He posted 18 touchdowns – tied for a career season-low with at least eight starts – and led the league in interceptions with a career-high 16.
Atlanta turned to first-round rookie quarterback Michael Penix down the stretch of the 2024 season as they made a push for the playoffs. Penix started the final three games of the regular season with a win over the New York Giants before overtime losses to Washington and Carolina that ended the Falcons’ postseason hopes.
The franchise looks set to move along with Penix as the starter in 2025. Cousins has a no-trade clause in the contract he signed last offseason and would have to waive that in a potential deal.
Prior to the 2025 NFL Draft, there haven’t been substantial trade talks involving Cousins, a person close to the situation told USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon.
‘You want to see him go on to be the best version of himself,’ Falcons coach Raheem Morris said in April. ‘This is not a thing where we’re holding you back. If the opportunity presents itself as something that’s good for both of us – it’s good for the Falcons and for Kirk Cousins – we’d certainly like to see that happen.’
There is no live contact during OTAs, which are voluntary, but there are 7-on-7, 9-on-9 and 11-on-11 drills. Each franchise is allowed 10 total days of organized team practice.
In 2025, Cousins will be in his age-37 season and two years removed from Achilles surgery that ended his final season with the Minnesota Vikings.
Kirk Cousins contract
One of the biggest obstacles to get around in a trade scenario is Cousins’ contract.
If the Falcons trade Cousins before June 1, they’d carry $37.5 million in total dead money on their salary cap for 2025, per OverTheCap, and save $2.5 million. If they trade him after June 1, they’d have a $12.5 million dead cap hit but $27.5 million in cap savings.
It’s financially in the team’s interest to trade him instead of cutting him to save money. If the team cuts Cousins before June 1, they’d carry $65 million in dead money on the cap in 2025. If they cut him after June 1, they’d carry $40 million in dead money with no cap savings.
If Atlanta keeps him on the roster for 2025 as a backup, Cousins would be a $40 million cap hit.