The Falcons‘ offseason quarterback plan drew considerable scrutiny, and evaluators are skeptical the team will carry it out. Kirk Cousins, who sits third in the NFL with 1,830 passing yards (highlighted by a 500-yard showing against the Buccaneers), is entrenched as Atlanta’s starting QB presently. Though, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes some around the league do not believe the Falcons will sit No. 8 overall pick Michael Penix Jr. for two seasons like they have planned to do. A Penix push toward a 2025 starting job would stand to bring forth Cousins trade rumors.
While nothing concrete has emerged on the Cousins front, this is not the first time execs have predicted a 2025 Falcons QB trade. Some in May predicted the long-rumored Cousins-Kyle Shanahan reunion would commence — if the 49ers become squeamish on a Brock Purdy megadeal. The Falcons have Cousins signed through 2027, though they have a clear out in 2026 — after $90MM of his $100MM guarantee will have been paid out. Penix, however, is already 24. Sitting the southpaw prospect until his age-26 season would not be optimal for the Falcons. Cousins’ 2025 money is fully guaranteed, which will be challenging for a trade. But if Penix’s development moves this situation toward a potential 2025 controversy, expect another offseason of Cousins rumors.
Here is the latest from the QB ranks:
- Jayden Daniels did not practice Wednesday, moving Marcus Mariota closer to making his first start since 2022. The rib injury the Commanders QB sustained is not considered serious, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, but it would also not surprise — given the way Daniels winced after trying to return in Week 7 — if Washington exercised caution with the player who has a great chance of being the team’s first long-term QB1 in decades. Mariota played effectively against the Panthers but has not made a start since his controversial Falcons exit in December 2022.
- The Titans have not seen their Will Levis development project produce notable strides. Crippling turnovers have played a key role in Tennessee’s 1-5 start, and Levis is now leading with a shoulder injury. Among qualified options, the 2023 second-rounder ranks ahead of only Deshaun Watson in QBR. As such, SI.com’s Albert Breer guesses the franchise will go into 2025 with an objective to find a new quarterback. It is still early, but at this rate, Tennessee giving Levis a third year to prove he can be a locked-in starter would be a reach. Ran Carthon‘s club would be an interesting destination, given the resources allocated to upgrading the offensive talent level around Levis this offseason.
- Ditto the Rams, who have Matthew Stafford on a year-to-year arrangement. The Rams have not dangled Stafford in trades this year, separating the 16th-year veteran from Cooper Kupp, but they also did not authorize significant guarantee upgrades — like the QB sought — beyond 2024. As a result, Breer adds the team should be considered in play to draft Stafford’s heir apparent next year. Los Angeles is running out of time to land a successor who would develop behind Stafford, who is signed through 2026. Adding assets to help with that potential mission could be on the team’s mind now, as a Kupp trade would go toward that haul. The Rams and Chiefs discussed Kupp, but L.A.’s asking price — a second-rounder — may be steep for a player who has battled injuries in each of the seasons since his transcendent 2021.
- Aaron Rodgers does not appear in jeopardy of missing Week 8, but the Jets quarterback is now on the team’s injury report with three maladies. The 40-year-old starter is battling hamstring, knee and ankle maladies. Rodgers’ hamstring “flared up” against the Steelers, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini tweets.
They’ll get a QB like Milroe or Ewers or Beck. I can see Levis being shipped off to another team if he doesn’t course correct
Ah Rogers going the old injury route to avoid further shame. Nice that Roger’s buddy Cimini helping him out by pretending he was hurt against Steelers.
1-I know others have posted this, but never start a sentence with “Though,”. It’s bad grammar.
2-What indication is there that Penix would push out Cousins in 2025? They will absorb a significant dead money hit if they try to trade him this off-season.
There is no indication, in the ESPN+ article Dan Graziano says there is “nothing moving here” it’s just speculation. He says when he asked multiple people around the league if they expect the Falcons to sit Penix for two seasons, a majority of them said no. It’s just an educated assumption he called it.
Though it was bad grammar in this case, it isn’t always bad to do so 😉
Atlanta’s master plan was to overpay Kik and hope another team would take over his contract next year?
Parity my backside.
According to Coach Quinn, Daniels is “week to week”. A little more serious than initially thought? Gulp.
I know that teams are against it, but let’s analyze this in the context of the modern NFL: what detriment is there to playing older quarterbacks? The way that the rules have changed to benefit passing offense and the way that QBs are protected from contact, what real downside is there to sitting a player until he’s 26? If Penix is the franchise hope that Atlanta hopes that he is, he could play until he’s, say, 36. That’s 10 years of quality QB play from his age 26 season. I think that’s a good return for a first round pick, if it works out.
My point, really, is that in today’s QB centric version of football, you don’t necessarily need to worry about quarterbacks getting too old. The best quarterbacks play into their late 30s-that’s much more time than most other positions get. Now, let me be clear-I don’t think that Atlanta wasn’t making a big gamble here by signing Cousins to a big deal and then spending their top pick on a QB. I’m not talking their draft strategy. But, now that they’re here, I don’t think that they need to rush it, especially with a QB with an injury history. They can take it as slowly as they want to, because ages for QBs mean much less today than they used to.
QBs can indeed play into their late 30s with the game model in place now so I don’t think that is the worry. The problem is every young QB is expected to be an instant success like Stroud and turn the team around immediately. GM and HC jobs are up for grabs if the latest QB savior struggles like Bryce Young or Will Levis. Darnold is a good example of how being patient with a QB can yield results but few GMs or HCs have the luxury of being patient with fans demanding instant results.
what real downside is there to sitting a player until he’s 26?
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I see no downside. All the value in players is getting their best 4-5-6 years while you are paying them under rookie contract rules. Once you start paying them FA equivalent money, you have no value added.
This is also why I don’t care about drafting a slightly older player.
Terry and Raheem said Penix might have to wait not just 2 but 3 4 or even 5 years.
This was a mistake you either sign Kirk for 100 million and use the 8th pick on someone who can help in the next 2-4 years or you draft Penix and use the 180 million spent on Kirk to build a team around Penix with you good FAs.
The GB example is proof it does not work: they had 2 13-3 teams with home playoffs games that lost by 1 score while Jordan Love was holding a clipboard – that 1 score could easily have been turned around with a Tee Higgins or Pittman Jr or a Patrick Queen might have made in those 2 playoff games.
By trying to win now and later you makes sure your chances are WORSE to win now AND later…