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Why isn't Kirk Cousins starting? Michael Penix Jr. tops Falcons QB depth chart
When the Atlanta Falcons signed quarterback Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal during the 2024 NFL offseason, the expectation was that the veteran signal-caller would be the team's starter for several years.
Instead, Cousins found himself on the bench relatively quickly after signing his big-money deal.
Cousins is serving as Atlanta's backup quarterback during the 2025 NFL season. The 37-year-old has played sparingly through the team's first four games, as Raheem Morris and Co. have given 2024 first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. a chance to prove himself as the Falcons' long-term starting quarterback.
Here's what to know about Cousins' situation with the Falcons and whether it could change at any point moving forward.
Kirk Cousins' hopes for a new start just crashed into a brick wall
As each week passes by, any hope that former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins has about the Atlanta Falcons trading him elsewhere this season slowly fades away.
Following Joe Burrow's significant injury a few weeks ago, some viewed the Cincinnati Bengals as a potential landing spot for Cousins this year. But that is no longer the case after the move the Bengals just made.
On Tuesday, Cincinnati decided to make a trade for a veteran quarterback, and instead of Cousins, they opted to make a move to acquire Joe Flacco in a deal with the Cleveland Browns.
Luckily for the former Minnesota quarterback, he'll still be making a nice chunk of change this year while he continues to be the No. 2 signal-caller in Atlanta behind Michael Penix.
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It's already painfully obvious how badly Bengals whiffed on Kirk Cousins trade
The Atlanta Falcons had found the perfect trade destination for Kirk Cousins until they didn't. The Cincinnati Bengals were desperate for quarterback stability after Joe Burrow went down with a toe injury, yet inexplicably chose to acquire Joe Flacco over the four-time Pro Bowler.
And in Flacco's Bengals debut, he proved just how costly that decision will turn out to be. In Cincinnati's 27-18 loss against the Green Bay Packers, Flacco recorded a staggering 45 pass attempts—yet hardly surpassed 200 passing yards.
Since Burrow went down, the Bengals are 0-4, and the failure to trade for Cousins is looking like a colossal missed opportunity, There was cause for optimism in the 40-year-old's Week 6 start, as the offense looked vastly improved, but it reminded fans that a superior option was available for the taking.