There is a disgruntled dirty bird that wants out of the ATL quick, fast and in a hurry.
Atlanta Falcons backup quarterback Kirk Cousins may have sent a resounding and clear message to the franchise Tuesday. Cousins, who is desperately seeking a trade, failed to show up to voluntary Organized Team Activities (OTAs), coach Raheem Morris confirmed.
That is a swift change from just a month ago, when Cousins was present for Day 1 of voluntary team workouts. That decision pleasantly surprised Morris, who told the media in March he did not expect Cousins to report to April workouts.
During that March press conference, Morris also mentioned he was not going to be upset or offended if Cousins skipped voluntary workouts.
“I don’t think he’ll be there,” Morris said, per ESPN. “If he is, we’ll welcome him with open arms. But I’m not going to be foolish enough to get myself worked up and angry about Kirk Cousins missing voluntary workouts.”
Tuesday’s OTAs fall into that same category, so Cousins likely will not be punished by Morris for not showing up. That would not be the case for mandatory minicamp, which the Falcons have scheduled for June 10 and 11.
Tight end Kyle Pitts, wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III, right tackle Kaleb McGary and defensive lineman Morgan Fox were also not seen Tuesday during practice.
Embed from Getty ImagesCousins, 36, finds himself in between a rock and a hard place after signing a four-year, $180 million deal with the Falcons in 2024, $100 million of which was guaranteed. After sustaining a season-ending Achilles injury in 2023 while a member of the Minnesota Vikings, Cousins returned in time for the start of the 2024 NFL campaign after inking that massive contract. He started 14 games for the team before he was benched in favor of the eighth pick overall out of the University of Washington, rookie Michael Penix Jr. Cousins had an up and down year, throwing 18 touchdowns against 16 interceptions last season.
Despite his struggles, Cousins is searching for a starting job in 2025. Cousins has a no-trade clause in his mega-deal but would reportedly be open to waiving it if the team found the right deal for the veteran.
Penix, who appeared in five games for the Falcons as a rookie, reported to voluntary OTAs on Tuesday.
As stated previously, the Falcons intend to make Penix their full-time starter in 2025 after selecting him with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Penix threw three touchdowns against three interceptions in his limited time as the team’s starter last season.
In related Falcons new, tight end Kyle Pitts, wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III, right tackle Kaleb McGary and defensive lineman Morgan Fox were also not seen Tuesday during practice.
