"Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr.'s season ended last week when he suffered a partially torn left ACL in a loss to the Panthers. It's possible the recovery process will take long enough to jeopardize Penix's availability for the beginning of the 2026 campaign, per Josh Kendall of The Athletic. Penix will undergo surgery "sooner than later," head coach Raheem Morris said this week. Morris also expressed optimism that Penix will be ready for Week 1 next season, but he added "that's a guestimation by me, not medical information.""
"The Falcons signed Cousins to a four-year, $160MM contract with $90MM fully guaranteed a little over a month before drafting Penix eighth overall in 2024. The decision to splurge on the former Washington and Minnesota starter has blown up in Atlanta's face. Cousins performed poorly enough last year that Morris demoted him in favor of Penix in Week 15. Penix kept the starting job until his injury, leaving Cousins as a ridiculously overpriced backup since last December."
"Cousins still has two years remaining on his contract, but he's due to count an untenable $57.5MM against the Falcons' salary cap in both 2026 and '27. An offseason release seems likely. Cutting Cousins would allow the Falcons to spread a much more manageable $35MM hit over the next two seasons, Kendall notes. Moving on from Cousins with Penix recovering from surgery would put the Falcons in the market for QB insurance during the offseason. They'll likely consider various free agent and trade options."
Michael Penix Jr. suffered a partially torn left ACL in a loss to the Panthers that ended his season. Penix will undergo surgery "sooner than later," and head coach Raheem Morris expressed cautious optimism about Week 1 availability while calling that projection a guestimation rather than medical information. Penix is unlikely to fully participate in the Falcons' offseason program, which could reduce his chances of being ready for the 2026 opener. Kirk Cousins remains under a large contract that the Falcons may cut to reduce future cap burdens, creating pressure to acquire quarterback insurance.
Read at Pro Football Rumors
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