While Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot has repeatedly said they’re comfortable having Kirk Cousins as a $40-million backup in 2025, it’s obvious they would like to recoup part of their investment in a trade.

During a visit with Pat McAfee, NFL Network draft expert Daniel Jeremiah floated the idea that Cousins could head back to the Minnesota Vikings as a mentor to J.J. McCarthy. 

“J.J. is going to be the starter, but you have to have some veteran insurance there,” said Jeremiah on the Pat McAfee show. “First of all, the guy (McCarthy) needs to stay healthy, and with Kirk Cousins, I just thought it was a unique opportunity for somebody who knows the offense inside and out. Atlanta’s footing the bill, so it’s going to cost you next to nothing. He can literally play for the league minimum like Russell Wilson did last year.” 

Cousins has already collected a hefty signing bonus from the Falcons and is due $27.5 million from Atlanta whether he’s with the team or not. There is offset language in his contract. Any money he earns with a new team goes back to Atlanta, which is why he’s likely to play for the league minimum in 2025, like Russell Wilson did in 2024 after being released by the Broncos. 

One big difference with the Cousins and Russell Wilson last year, Cousins’s roster bonus is $10-million, while Wilson’s was scheduled to be $37 million if he was still on the Broncos’ roster last March. 

The Falcons may be willing to play chicken with Cousins during the summer for $10 million in order to increase his trade value after the opening of free agency and the NFL Draft. 

Of course the Falcons would just be happy to get anything in return for Cousins, no matter how seemingly insignificant. Clawing back even a late round draft pick and some salary from a trade partner still seems unlikely, because Fontenot is not in a particularly good bargaining position.

When it comes to forcing Cousins to backup Penix, while collecting another $10-million roster bonus, guaranteed for 2026, Jeremiah isn’t having it.

Cousins has already undermined the Falcons once this offseason by contradicting Fontenot and head coach Raheem Morris about playing with an injury, and now he’s gone straight to the top to ask owner Arthur Blank to be moved, either cut or traded. 

“That’s in the Falcons’ best interest to put that out there. ‘Hey, we’re comfortable. No, we’re not gonna cut him. We’re gonna hold on to him. So if you want him you’ve got to trade for him, and you’re gonna have to eat some of this money.’ So, I don’t really read too much into what’s coming out of Atlanta on that point,” Jeremiah concluded.    

Why would Cousins agree to be the backup in Minnesota but not Atlanta? Cousins is getting his money from the Falcons. The Vikings were up front with him during free agency last year about wanting to draft a quarterback, one of the big reasons Cousins left for Atlanta. He has a much better chance of starting in Minnesota while 22-year-old McCarthy recovers from his knee injury.   

It’s clear the Falcons don’t want Cousins on the roster, and it became even more clear this week Cousins doesn’t want to be in Atlanta. Both parties will likely get their wish before the start of the 2025 season. The question remains, will the Falcons be able to recoup any value in a trade?

Jeremiah, like most NFL pundits, think it’s unlikely. Having the Falcons lose a draft pick for tampering, paying him at least $90-million only to have him return to the Vikings as a backup would be the height of irony.