Kirk Cousins future is complicated as $10 million question hangs in the air
We’ll soon learn how much Falcons owner Arthur Blank values $10 million in cold, hard cash.Atlanta is stuck with a depreciated asset in benched quarterback Kirk Cousins and will owe him a $10 million roster bonus for 2026 that becomes fully guaranteed if he’s on the roster through March 16, the fifth day of the new league year, according to Spotrac.While that deadline could force Atlanta’s hand, the reality is that $10 million would be all the team owes him for next year should they move on before the 2026 season.Should Atlanta cut Cousins, any team that signs him would offset that $10 million with how much they pay the former Vikings and Commanders star.It’s a safe bet that Cousins will land with a new team, but the uncertainty is when the Falcons will move on and whether it’s via a release or trade.The Falcons benched Cousins for 2024 first-round pick Michael Penix Jr.last year despite signing the veteran quarterback to a four-year, $180 million deal with $100 million guaranteed.The $100 million includes his 2024 and 2025 salaries of $12.5 million and $27.5 million, respectively, plus a $50 million signing bonus and the aforementioned $10 million roster bonus.Said bonus is currently slated to be guaranteed only for an injury.Cousins threw 18 touchdowns to 16 interceptions last season while struggling with his mobility after returning from an Achilles tear, and he also recently revealed he battled elbow and shoulder issues.Add it all up and it creates an underwhelming trade profile, especially for a soon-to-be 37-year-old.Cousins recently met with Blank and reportedly told him he would like to play for a team that allows him to start next year, per Sports Illustrated, but The Athletic reported that Atlanta is telling teams it’s not moving Cousins and the expectation is he will not be cut.The former Michigan State star prefers the Browns, according to The Athletic, where he could seemingly start in place of the injured Deshaun Watson, even if the team ...