Falcons still searching for solutions to Kirk Cousins situation

After signing Cousins in March 2024, the Falcons drafted former Washington/Indiana quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick in the NFL draft in April. Cousins’ agent, the highly respected Mike McCartney, said it was a “big surprise” and noted the Falcons informed Cousins they were essentially drafting his successor when they were on the clock.

Penix took over for Cousins last season, after an injury and a rash of losses and interceptions. The left-hander with a big-arm has been anointed the quarterback of the future.

“Obviously, we know this is a business,” Morris said. “There are business aspects to everything that you do.”

The Falcons are set to start their offseason program later this month before the draft. Then they’ll move on to the organized team activities.

Morris does not expect his backup quarterback to attend.

“I’m not crazy,” Morris said. “I do know that OTA days are voluntary, and (they) will be treated as such.”

The Falcons are holding out hope that they can somehow move Cousins to another team at some point.

“When it comes down to it, and it gets to the decision-making process, the points that we have to get to, we feel comfortable on who Kirk is, what he is as a man, who he is a human,” Morris said. “Who he is as a family man and what he means to us.”

Morris contended that there are no hard-feelings over the matter.

“Our relationship goes way deeper than this just year,” Morris said. “It goes beyond that. There are things we know that we can get past if we have to.”

Morris was an assistant coach with the Washington football team when Cousins was drafted in the fourth round out of Michigan State in 2012.

Cousins had one-on-one meetings with several people in the organization, including owner Arthur Blank.

“He’s been very respectful,” Morris said. “Just how you’d expect Kirk to do it.”

Morris didn’t see the meeting with Blank as Cousins going over his head to force his release.

“It was set up by us,” Morris said. “It was definitely asked …will I definitely get a chance to meet with Arthur. The people that we deal with, he met with one-on-one. I don’t want to say all of the names. ... He definitely met with me, and I believe Terry, and he met for sure Arthur.”

The Falcons need to move forward after finishing 8-9 last season and posting their seventh consecutive losing season.

“All of those things that happened,” said Morris, who set to enter his second season as head coach. “They were not done in any type of negative way. He was not going over (anyone’s) head. It was him expressing his feelings. Him being able to get out his points. He’s very calculating when he does those things, when he talks about anything. ... That’s how he’s always been.”

Cousins has received $100 million of the contract for essentially 14 games. There is no cost-benefit analysis that will fall in the Falcons’ favor.

“That’s always a part of it when you talk about the business (side) of it,” Morris said. “Obviously, that’s something that we deal with every day. ... (We) talk about how (we) want to manage everything that we do and how he’s going to be on our roster or not on our roster. That cost-effectiveness is taken into account.”

The Falcons would like to get some sort of compensation for Cousins.

“We are always going to make the right decision on doing what’s best for the Falcons,” Morris said. “Doing what’s best for us from a financial standpoint.”

Some felt giving Cousins, the backup quarterback, the $10 million bonus he was due in March was short-sighted.

“It was very clear to try to stay with him,” Morris said. “It was not a well-liked decision. We invested in Kirk last year in a major way. Right now, we feel really strongly about him being our backup quarterback.”

Cousins, who’ll turn 37 in August, wants to be a starting quarterback.

“You have to understand that this is a business decision,” Morris said. “Obviously, we are getting ready to come into some voluntary work. I know exactly who he is. You want to see him go out and be the best version of himself.”

The Falcons contend they are working in good faith.

“This is not a thing where we are holding you back if the opportunity presents itself,” Morris said. “If it’s something that is good for the both of us, good for the Falcons and Kirk Cousins. We’d certainly like to see that happen.”

Also, Cousins has a no-trade clause. He’ll have to waive it and agree to the team the Falcons are sending him. Again, the market for teams without quarterbacks is down to Pittsburgh, Tennessee and Cleveland.

The Titans have the No. 1 overall pick. The Browns have the No. 2. While the Giants have signed Jameis Winston and Russell Wilson, they have the No. 3 overall pick. Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders are considered the top quarterbacks in the draft.

“I do know that he would like to try to be a starter at some point,” Morris said. “That’s definitely been clearly communicated with me. … I do know that. The way about that, I’m not sure. We’ll have to figure those things out. We have to get through that process.”