Atlanta is buzzing with news as the Falcons quarterback _Kirk Cousins_ recently met with team owner _Arthur Blank_. According to various sources, the team does not plan to release Cousins, who has a _no-trade clause_ in his contract. This information was first revealed by an NFL insider.
Cousins signed a four-year contract worth _$180 million_ with the Falcons last offseason but faced a challenging first year. Coming back from an _Achilles tear_, he started the first 14 games but struggled with consistency. During a significant four-game losing streak in the middle of the season, Cousins recorded no touchdowns and threw eight interceptions. This poor performance eventually led head coach _Raheem Morris_ to replace him with rookie quarterback _Michael Penix Jr._.
As of February 4, Cousins mentioned in an interview that he hopes to continue his career in 2025, whether with Atlanta or another team. He still has three years remaining on his contract, which has a cap number of _$40 million_ for 2025. Next season, Cousins is guaranteed to make _$27.5 million_ but has no guaranteed salary after that.
Trading Cousins won’t be straightforward. If the Falcons were to execute a trade before June 1, they wouldn’t alleviate much cap space, instead incurring heavy dead money both this year and for the following years. Post-June 1, they would still face a significant dead money cost but could save up to _$45 million_ over the next few years. Should Cousins’s time with the Falcons come to an end, he would leave with a total of _3,508 passing yards, 18 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions_.
In other league news, linebacker _Lavonte David_ is returning to the Buccaneers on a one-year deal worth _$10 million_, with _$9 million_ guaranteed. The Raiders are acquiring quarterback _Geno Smith_ from the Seahawks in exchange for a third-round pick in 2025. Additionally, veteran receiver _Michael Gallup_ plans to come out of retirement, while the Commanders are parting ways with defensive tackle _Jonathan Allen_ after failing to find a trade for him.
The offseason is full of surprises as the Browns star _Myles Garrett_ recently requested a meeting with owner _Jimmy Haslam_, who declined. The 49ers have traded receiver _Deebo Samuel_ to the Commanders, and there are rumors that _DK Metcalf_ has requested a trade as well. Meanwhile, the Jaguars are moving away from tight end _Evan Engram_, and the Commanders have re-signed linebacker _Bobby Wagner_ for another year.
The NFL landscape continues to shift as teams make strategic moves, affecting rosters all around the league.
