Without even entering the building, the $180 million player for the Atlanta Falcons is making headlines. As OTAs began on Tuesday, Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said, “I did not see him today.” Translation? Kirk Cousins fails to show up, and people are connecting the dots. On Instagram, NFL insider Adam Schefter confirmed Cousins’ absence from the team’s voluntary exercises. ‘Voluntary’ being the keyword here. But questions are being raised in Atlanta since a seasoned quarterback is missing months after inking a huge contract.
Yes, the 36-year-old Cousins has been there for some of the offseason activities. But missing OTAs while rookie Michael Penix Jr. is being prepared to be the starting quarterback? That’s not insignificant. Though Cousins holds a no-trade clause, let’s not pretend the cap math doesn’t matter. He is owed $27.5 million next year with a $40 million cap hit. The Falcons would receive cap relief if they made the move after June 1st, and they might be able to persuade another team to take on $20 million of his remaining $37.5 million in guarantees. Although G.M. Terry Fontenot has not mentioned a precise price tag, whispers are growing louder.
Penix, Emory Jones, and Easton Stick are currently in the quarterback’s room behind Cousins. However, the optics tell the true story, not the depth chart. The OTA skip by cousins seems more like a planned signal than a scheduling conflict. The message? He observes what Atlanta’s doing. And he’s not going to comply in silence.
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