Atlanta Falcons quarterback cancer cousin He is expected to be released before the start of the new league year in March, which would allow him to choose where he wants to play in 2026, league sources told ESPN.
falcon Recently restructured Cousins contract The idea was that it would be easier for both sides if the four-time Pro Bowler was released sooner, giving Cousins the optionality he wanted and adding financial flexibility for Atlanta.
Cousins and the Falcons amended the final two years of his contract, changing his 2026 base salary from $35 million to $2.1 million, but adding the remaining $32.9 million to his 2027 base salary, now making it $67.9 million. $67.9 million will be guaranteed if Cousins remains on the Falcons’ roster at the start of the league year in mid-March.
Atlanta is therefore expected to release him, allowing Cousins to become a free agent again. Few players have fared better in free agency than Cousins, who received deals from both the Falcons and minnesota vikings In recent years this is virtually guaranteed.
Cousins would like to play next season, but he has also worked in television, appearing on CBS’s pregame show after the season. Hopefully, TV will be an option for Cousins, just like retirement. But he would also be perfectly willing to find the right opportunity with another NFL team in need of quarterback help.
Releasing Cousins would further open up the quarterback position in 2026 for the Falcons, whose new regime not committed yet To Michael Penix Jr.. As a starter.
Penix is recovering from surgery to repair a torn left ACL he suffered in November, and is expected to be out nine to 12 months.
Penix said in multiple interviews last month that he believed he would return for the 2026 season opener, but Falcons president of football Matt Ryan said last week that the new front office would have “a lot of discussions for us about the entire roster” when asked about the quarterback situation.
Cousins, 37, completed 61% of his passes for 1,721 yards with 10 touchdowns and five interceptions in 10 games last season. With Cousins’ start, the Falcons went 5–3.
The Falcons fired head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot last month after going 8-9 for the second consecutive season. Ryan led the searches that resulted in the appointment of Kevin Stefanski as head coach and Ian Cunningham as general manager.
ESPN’s Mark Raimondi contributed to this report.
