Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins faced off against the Buccaneers again on Thursday night, beating them for the third straight time since signing with Atlanta. Following last year’s franchise-record 509 passing yards, 373 yards and three touchdowns in a 29-28 win, it was another masterclass Thursday night.
The recent string of Cousins starts is something that shouldn’t happen. He returns to the QB1 role after the Falcons lost Michael Penix Jr. for the season. Despite Cousins’ mixed performance through seven games in 2025, there’s something to be said for playing under the lights against a team trying to win a division title.
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That’s the problem for Cousins and the Falcons. What will happen next year?
The Falcons owe Cousins $45 million in 2026 under the four-year contract he signed in 2024. Of that amount, $10 million has been fully guaranteed.
It is widely believed he will be released. If the guaranteed payments are offset, Cousins could make more than $10 million on the open market. Especially after Thursday night, he proved he can still perform at a high level. That would allow the Falcons to avoid paying him an additional $10 million on the fifth day of the 2026 league year.
He already has a bronze statue in the Bankruptcy Hall of Fame Career income $321 million Until 2025. He proved to be a shrewd businessman, though his first foray into free agency was inevitable; commanders were willing to tag him twice, but they weren’t willing to offer him a commensurate long-term deal.
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Cousins chose the Falcons in large part because they offered multi-year financial security, with $90 million fully guaranteed over two seasons. (The Vikings hope to do so year-to-year.) Since the Falcons are unlikely to pay him another $45 million, which would bring his three-year salary to $135 million, he will likely become a free agent for a third time.
Cousins will enter the market at a very good time. The supply of veterans with starting experience cannot keep up with demand. Someone will consider attacking the 37-year-old.
Teams that will (or at least likely) be looking for a potential QB1 include the Jets, Steelers, Browns, Bengals (if Joe Burrow’s recent comments are any indication of exiting Cincinnati), Colts, Raiders, Saints and Cardinals.
Then there’s the Vikings, who need a viable veteran replacement for JJ McCarthy in case he never comes out of the bottle. Do they want to bring Cousins back? Will he want to come back?
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It’s also possible he’ll stay in Atlanta under a reworked contract, especially with Penix, the eighth pick in the 2025 draft, still up in the air.
Regardless of the outcome, Cousins will likely get another big contract. While it’s certainly not going to be marketable, Justin Fields will make $20 million per year from the Jets through 2025. That should be the bottom line for Cousins, who could end up with $400 million in career earnings.