Report: Falcons' trade talks for Cousins contingent on salary relief
The Atlanta Falcons are asking teams interested in trading for Kirk Cousins to cover a significant portion of the veteran quarterback's remaining contract.
Atlanta is requesting any acquiring team cover $20 million of the $45 million left in guarantees on Cousins' deal, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Teams looking to add a quarterback are unlikely to meet that price but could be willing to cover as much as $10 million depending on where the top QB prospects land in this week's NFL draft, Schefter adds.
It's unclear what draft pick compensation Atlanta has been asking for in addition to salary relief.
Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot has said publicly that the team is comfortable keeping Cousins as the backup to Michael Penix Jr. but would entertain trade offers for the veteran. Cousins holds a no-trade clause.
Cousins struggled mightily before his late-season benching in his first year with the Falcons in 2024. He went 7-7 as a starter and threw a career-high 16 interceptions.
The 36-year-old said after the season that he was dealing with shoulder and elbow injuries during a stretch in which he threw one touchdown against nine interceptions across five contests. He entered the campaign coming off a ruptured Achilles in his final year with the Minnesota Vikings.
Cousins earned a $10-million guarantee for 2026 by remaining a Falcon through last month's roster bonus deadline. Atlanta was widely expected to release him before the deadline.
He's now set to earn a total of $100 million guaranteed from the Falcons after signing with the franchise as a free agent in 2024, per Over the Cap.