The Atlanta Falcons have been one of the more confusing NFL teams over the last few years, consistently fielding rosters with top-level talent, but failing to reach the postseason in each of the last eight seasons.
Now, they are hoping to reverse their fortunes under new leadership, going forward with Kevin Stefanski as head coach and Ian Cunningham as general manager.
The latter is a well-respected executive who garnered praise for the success he helped build with the Chicago Bears.
He was brought in with the hopes that he could help fix the quarterback conundrum in Atlanta, and that’s exactly what he plans on doing.
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Cunningham was speaking with the media ahead of the NFL Combine, when he told reporters that backup Kirk Cousins will be released on the first day of the league year.
The Falcons gave the veteran quarterback a massive four-year, $180 million contract back in 2024 and they almost instantly regretted it.
In a shocking move, they drafted Michael Penix Jr. just weeks after landing Cousins, but it didn’t seem as crazy after the rookie had to be inserted towards the end of the season.
Cousins started eight games last season after Penix Jr. tore his ACL, but he didn’t do enough in those games to warrant keeping him in Atlanta.
The 37-year-old will hit the open market in a couple weeks, and while there may not be a bidding war for him, there are bound to be some teams open to his services.
Let’s check in on a few teams who might want to bring Cousins on board for the 2026 season.
Indianapolis Colts
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The Indianapolis Colts feel like the most obvious choice considering the success they had with maligned quarterback Daniel Jones before he tore his Achilles.
The former first-round pick appeared to be reviving his career, but it’s hard to imagine Indianapolis bringing back such a huge question mark.
With head coach Shane Steichen’s seat getting increasingly hotter, the Colts might opt for a reliable veteran as opposed to handing the reins back to Anthony Richardson, who has been a weekly mystery box through his first three seasons.
Cousins would have one of the best running backs in the game in Jonathan Taylor to rely on, as well as talented receiving threats like Michael Pittman Jr. and Tyler Warren.
He wouldn’t have to carry the team for the Colts to win games, and if they are willing to turn to Philip Rivers who had been retired for nearly five years, it’s difficult to see why they’d shun Cousins.
New York Jets
There’s no sugarcoating it — last season was a disaster for the New York Jets — something that they’ve unfortunately become accustomed to.
Rookie head coach Aaron Glenn had his sights set on rebuilding the team, but they appeared to be even more dysfunctional than before.
Former first-round quarterback Justin Fields was benched in the middle of the season, the defense became the first unit in NFL history to go an entire season without an interception, and tons of coaches on the staff were fired.
In a rare instance, Glenn could very well be coaching for his job in 2026, which makes a partnership with Cousins all the more likely.
The 14-year veteran would be playing in an offense that he is somewhat familiar with and would have the benefit of playing with few expectations.
Jets fans have suffered through mediocre quarterback play for decades and Cousins can easily become the best one since Mark Sanchez if he can return to the level he was at before he tore his Achilles.
Minnesota Vikings
How poetic would it be for Cousins to return to the team that elevated his career?
Although he wouldn’t enter the season as the starter, the backup quarterback position has become a valuable commodity for the Minnesota Vikings, with 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy suffering major injuries in each of his first two seasons.
Cousins would be reunited with head coach Kevin O’Connell, who he was having a career year with in 2023 before his Achilles injury.
The seasoned veteran would return to a city, team, and scheme that he is familiar with as he likely enters the last few years of his career.
With McCarthy’s injury history, erratic play on the field, and O’Connell’s job security in question after general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was fired, Cousins seems like a likely target in free agency.
This year’s draft features a weak quarterback class, and historically there aren’t many free agents available at the position either, so the Vikings might not have much of a choice but to pursue him.