Falcons expect Cousins to skip voluntary program

Atlanta Falcons coach Raheem Morris does not expect quarterback Kirk Cousins to be part of the team's voluntary offseason program because of a "business" impasse.

Morris said Cousins has met one-on-one with himself, general manager Terry Fontenot and owner Arthur Blank and expressed his wish to be a starting quarterback in the NFL this coming season.

The Falcons have Michael Penix Jr. pegged as their starter for the foreseeable future. Cousins was benched in Week 16 after a five-game stretch with nine interceptions and just one touchdown pass.

"I'm not going to be foolish to think that he's going to show up for voluntary work," Morris said of Cousins on Tuesday morning at the NFL's annual league meeting. "Right now, we're dealing with a business-like mode. ... We're dealing with that type of feel. I don't think he'll be there. If he is, we'll welcome him with open arms. But I'm not going to be foolish enough to make myself get worked up and angry about Kirk Cousins missing voluntary workouts."

Morris said the Falcons remain comfortable with Cousins as their backup quarterback. He said he doesn't expect Cousins to be a distraction or have a negative impact on Penix, who was a rookie last season, because of the type of human being Cousins is.

However, that doesn't mean the Falcons would turn down trading Cousins if the right deal is on the table. Cousins does have a no-trade clause, though, so would have to clear any potential swap.

Cousins is owed a guaranteed $27.5 million in 2025 with a $10 million roster bonus, also guaranteed, coming in 2026. Atlanta has reasoned that it had already allocated that money toward the quarterback position, though it's not ideal to pay a backup that much.

"I know exactly who he is," Morris said of Cousins. "There's definitely a human side, when we want to see him go out and be the best version of himself. This is not a thing where we're holding you back. If the opportunity presents itself into something that's good for both of us, that's good for the Falcons and for Kirk Cousins, we'd certainly like to see that happen."

Morris has known Cousins since Cousins was a rookie with Washington in 2012. Morris was a coach on that staff.

"I do know he would like to try to be a starter at some point," Morris said. "That's definitely been clearly communicated with me and whoever else he had an opportunity to talk to. I do know that. The way about that, I'm not sure. But we have to figure those things out. We have to get to that process."

The Falcons signed Cousins as a free agent last offseason and then drafted Penix with the No. 8 overall pick one month later. Cousins was surprised the team took a quarterback in the first round. But the Falcons made it clear Cousins was their starter for 2025 and beyond.

Cousins led the Falcons to a 6-3 start, including a franchise-record 509 passing yards against the rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 5. But then the team went on a four-game losing streak with Cousins throwing eight interceptions and no touchdown passes. Penix was tabbed as the starter "moving forward" in Week 16. The Falcons still missed the playoffs, going 8-9.

Cousins said told NFL Network in February that he suffered a right shoulder and elbow injury due to a hit he received in Week 10 against the New Orleans Saints and his arm wasn't the same the rest of the season. Previously, Cousins had said he was completely healthy, and his struggles were not due to injury.

The Falcons only had Cousins and his arm on the injury report once during Week 11. The team has maintained it was not aware of any kind of Cousins injury beyond that.

Cousins was a model citizen as Penix's backup late in 2024 and Morris does not expect that to change if Cousins returns to Atlanta next season.

"We still feel very strongly about Kirk being our backup quarterback," Morris said. "We still feel very strongly about the human. We still feel very strongly about where he stands right now. You know, obviously we know this is a business. There will be some business aspects to everything you do."