The Atlanta Falcons are lined up to have the most expensive backup quarterback in the NFL.
They put themselves in this spot, of course.
Last offseason, they signed veteran Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract in free agency.
Not long after, they chose Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
By the end of last season, Penix had taken over for Cousins, and now Penix is starting for 2025 with Cousins primed to be his backup.
MORE: Shedeur Sanders shows his NFL Draft slide might've been a mistake
The Falcons reportedly explored Cousins trade possibilities but couldn't find any.
Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport is urging Atlanta to get out of dodge here and just cut Cousins.
"Right now, the Atlanta Falcons, veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins and the rest of the NFL are all engaged in a three-way game of chicken," Davenport writes. "The Falcons desperately want Cousins (and his $27.5 million guaranteed salary) off the books. The veteran wants a chance to play, but barring injury to Michael Penix Jr. that isn't happening in Atlanta. But the NFL's other 31 teams don't want to be on the hook for a bag of cash for a quarterback who was mostly dreadful in 2024. Now it's possible the Los Angeles Rams could come calling if Matthew Stafford's back doesn't improve. Or another injury under center could spur a team to work out a trade. If that doesn't happen, though, the Falcons need to acknowledge that guaranteed salary is a sunk cost and just be done with it."
MORE: The latest on Christian McCaffrey's health
That really has to be what the Falcons were holding out for, at least in some regards - an injury to a quarterback on another team.
Cousins could've quickly become the best stopgap option for a contending team in a pinch. But no situation like that has materialized.
That leaves an odd setup in Atlanta, where if Penix struggles early, many will start to wonder if Cousins has anything left in the tank. He didn't last year, when he threw a league-worst 16 INTs before being benched, but he is a year further away from his injury recovery, too.
The Falcons need Penix to prove he can be the man. And if that happens, they certainly won't need Cousins anymore.
MORE NFL NEWS:
- Shilo Sanders sets big goals for his rookie NFL season
- Bills still have a James Cook decision to make
- Baker Mayfield isn't like other quarterbacks
- 49ers' former speedy RB retires after turning down a workout with a new team
- Rashee Rice gets quite the suspension twist
- Browns' 40-QB nightmare continues with Shedeur Sanders injury