Albert Breer maintains Falcons will cut Kirk Cousins amid Browns, Rams rumors

NFL reporters believe the Falcons will cut Kirk Cousins, most notably Adam Schefter, but Terry Fontenot remains adamant that the organization is comfortable keeping the veteran in Atlantas as Michael Penix Jr.’s backup.

Sports Illustrated pundit Albert Breer maintains that won’t be the case, with his belief that the Falcons will part ways with him before St. Patrick’s Day.

“I don’t see why Kirk Cousins would be motivated to facilitate a trade for the Falcons, nor do I believe that Atlanta is going to keep him on the roster as a backup.”

March 17 is the key date, which is when a $10 million roster bonus for 2026 is fully guaranteed. The Falcons have a decision to make with Cousins, but it’s pretty simple in my mind.

Either bite the bullet and foot the bill for a little over $26 million and turn the page on the Cousins era in Atlanta, or complicate the entire situation by keeping him at the cost of $37.5 million minus, as Breer notes, what a team would give him in 2026.

The Falcons are setting themselves up for a similar scenario that the Broncos found themselves in with Russell Wilson, which means there’s a Steelers team out there looking for a veteran quarterback on a minimum deal.

Breer notes that a team such as the Browns and Rams could “see very real opportunity in not just landing Cousins, but the opportunity getting him at that number would provide to build around.”

The NFL insider also noted that he doesn’t believe Kirk Cousins will help the Falcons in any capacity. More than likely, the club will cut the veteran before the March 17 deadline.