Raiders' Kirk Cousins: Reaches deal with Las Vegas
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Cousins agreed Thursday with the Raiders on a contract, Josh Kendall of The Athletic reports.
After being cut by the Falcons earlier in the offseason, Cousins had drawn interest from several teams who were keen on bringing him aboard as a backup. He ultimately opted to head to Las Vegas, where he'll at least temporarily slot in atop the depth chart. The Raiders are widely expected to select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft later this month, but Cousins -- who is in line to earn $20 million fully guaranteed for playing the 2026 season -- per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, could still emerge as the Week 1 starter if Las Vegas isn't eager to rush Mendoza into action right away to begin his NFL career. During his final season in Atlanta, Cousins made 10 appearances (eight starts) and completed 61.7 percent of his passes for 6.4 yards per attempt and a 10:5 TD:INT.
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Falcons' Michael Penix: GM confirms QB battle with Tua
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Falcons GM Ian Cunningham confirmed Friday that the team is bringing in Tua Tagovailoa to compete with Penix (knee) for the starting quarterback role, Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com reports.
Tagovailoa has agreed to a one-year, $1.3 million contract with the Falcons and will join the team if he passes his physical. Both Penix and Tua are left-handed quarterbacks who have dealt with numerous injuries. Penix underwent surgery in November to repair a partially torn ACL in his left knee, but he's aiming to be healthy ahead of Week 1. Once healthy, Penix is slated to compete with Tagovailoa for the starting job.
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Falcons' Kirk Cousins: Expected to be cut by Atlanta
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The Falcons are expected to cut Cousins before the new league year starts in March, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
The Falcons worked with Cousins on Tuesday to restructure the veteran quarterback's contract by modifying the final two years of the deal to give Atlanta more cap flexibility and incentivize a release sooner rather than later, as Cousins would be slated to get $67.9 million guaranteed were he to be on the roster at the start of the league year. That leaves the Falcons with questions over who they will add to their quarterback room with Michael Penix (knee), while Cousins contemplates joining a team in 2026, including a reunion with the Vikings, per Alec Lewis of The Athletic. Cousins appeared in 10 regular-season games (eight starts) with Atlanta in 2025, when he completed 61.7 percent of his passes for 1,721 yards, 10 touchdowns and five interceptions.
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Falcons' Michael Penix: Expects to be ready for Week 1
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Penix (knee) said Wednesday he "look[s] forward to being back Week 1," but he added "we'll see" and noted that Atlanta's medical staff will have "the last word" on his recovery timetable, D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Penix mentioned his familiarity with the process of rehabbing from ACL tears, as he suffered similar injuries twice during his collegiate career, both to his right knee. Currently, Penix is rehabbing from a torn left ACL for which he underwent surgery Nov. 25, roughly 9.5 months prior to Week 1 of the 2026 campaign. That places Week 1 squarely within the typical 9-to-12-month recovery timetable for ACL tears, albeit on the earlier end of the scale. Per Tori McElhaney of the Falcons' official site, new head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed Tuesday that Penix already has resumed "attacking his rehab" at the team's training facility. Stefanski expressed excitement about Penix as "a young player who will continue to develop and continue to get better." Meanwhile, veteran Kirk Cousins is the only other quarterback under contract with Atlanta for 2026, though he reworked his deal with the team in early January in a maneuver that likely will result in either another restructure or his release prior to March 13, per Field Yates of ESPN.
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Ben DiNucci: Signs with Denver
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DiNucci was signed to the Broncos' practice squad Sunday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
DiNucci will join Denver's practice unit ahead of the AFC Championship Game against the Patriots. Bo Nix (ankle) suffered a season-ending injury in the team's 33-30 divisional-round win over the Bills on Saturday, and DiNucci will provide the team with a third option at quarterback behind Jarrett Stidham and Sam Ehlinger.
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Falcons' Kirk Cousins: Reworks contract with Atlanta
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Cousins agreed Tuesday to restructure the final two seasons of his four-year, $180 million contract, Field Yates of ESPN.com reports.
As part of the restructure, Cousins agreed to reduce his base salary for the 2026 season from a non-guaranteed $35 million to $2.1 million, but the amended deal doesn't necessarily mean that the veteran quarterback will stick around with Atlanta through the upcoming season. Cousins is still guaranteed $67.9 million for the 2027 season, with that money scheduled to vest March 13, the third day of the new league year. Given that Atlanta would have no interest in being tied to Cousins at that amount of money in 2027, the 37-year-old signal-caller may have to agree to another restructure in order to avoid being designated for a post-June 1 release. After opening the 2025 season in a backup role, Cousins reclaimed the starting job for the Falcons' final seven games after Michael Penix (knee) tore his ACL in Week 11. In his 10 total appearances, Cousins completed 166 of 269 pass attempts (61.7 percent) for 1,721 yards, 10 touchdowns and five interceptions while tacking on a rushing touchdown.
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Falcons' Kirk Cousins: Serviceable finish to season
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Cousins completed 18 of 32 passes for 180 yards with a touchdown and an interception while adding three carries for no gain in the Falcons' 19-17 win over the Saints on Sunday.
Cousins, who was dealing with an illness that came on overnight, averaged a modest 5.6 yards per attempt and took four sacks, so it wasn't the smoothest of afternoons for the veteran signal-caller. However, Cousins was able to fire a 15-yard touchdown pass to Drake London late in the first quarter, and he displayed his usual chemistry with both his No. 1 receiver and tight end Kyle Pitts. Cousins opened the season with a bleak fantasy outlook and uncertain future as the No. 2 quarterback behind Michael Penix (IR, knee), but the former started the final seven games (and eight overall). Cousins completed 61.7 percent of his passes for 1,721 yards with a 10:5 TD:INT while adding 14 rushes for seven yards and another score across 10 appearances overall. Penix should have a solid chance of being ready for the start of the 2026 regular season, while Cousins remains under contract with the Falcons through the 2027 campaign.
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Falcons' Kirk Cousins: Set to play through illness
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Cousins was added to the Falcons' injury report due to an illness but won't have a designation for Sunday's game against the Saints and will be available to start at quarterback, Tori McElhaney of the team's official site reports.
Cousins was a full participant in practice throughout the week, but he may be operating at something less than 100 percent heading into the season finale after coming down with an illness. More so than the ailment, however, Cousins' fantasy prospects could be hindered by the prospect of some of his top pass catchers being less than fully healthy. Though wideouts Drake London (knee) and Darnell Mooney (knee) and tight end Kyle Pitts (knee) are active Sunday, all were listed as questionable heading into the weekend and were limited in the Falcons' final Week 18 practice. As such, it's possible that any or all three players could have their reps managed to some degree, given that the 7-9 Falcons are eliminated from playoff contention and have little on the line in the season finale.
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Falcons' Kirk Cousins: Produces three more TDs in Week 16
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Cousins completed 21 of 35 pass attempts for 197 yards, two touchdowns, one interception and a lost fumble while scoring a third touchdown and losing three yards on five carries in Sunday's 26-19 win over Arizona.
Cousins was unable to replicate last week's vintage 373-yard performance, but he was able to reproduce the trio of touchdowns in another winning effort. The 36-year-old's third trip to the end zone came via a rare QB sneak in the fourth quarter that would end up serving as the game-deciding score Sunday. Cousins is beginning to show flashes of his former glory after looking rusty in his first few starts taking over for the injured Michael Penix (knee). While he is far from a sure thing, Cousins has at least put himself back in the conversation for potential starting options for fantasy managers in desperate QB situations. A Week 17 matchup against a tough Rams defensive unit dampens the excitement around the veteran starter for those in standard fantasy leagues.
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Falcons' Kirk Cousins: Throws for 234 in loss
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Cousins completed 21 of 33 passes for 234 yards and one touchdown in Sunday's 27-24 loss to the Jets.
Cousins had only 86 first-half passing yards but led a touchdown drive, capped by a one-yard Tyler Allgeier run, to tie the score at 7-7 with nine seconds left before halftime. Atlanta's first drive of the third quarter was also capped by a rushing score, this time on a five-yard Bijan Robinson run. Cousins then broke a 17-17 tie by connecting with David Sills for a nine-yard touchdown pass with 8:46 remaining in the fourth quarter, but the Jets scored the game's final 10 points to drop Atlanta to 4-8. Despite the slow start, Cousins ultimately exceeded 200 passing yards for the first time this season, but Atlanta's passing game won't offer much fantasy appeal in Week 14 against the Seahawks, especially if top wide receiver Drake London (knee) misses a third consecutive game.
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Falcons' Michael Penix: Surgery goes well
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Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said that Penix (knee) underwent full reconstructive surgery to address the partially torn ACL in his left knee on Tuesday and experienced no complications with the procedure, D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Penix faces a nine-month recovery timetable as a result of the procedure. The 25-year-old quarterback has now undergone ACL reconstructive surgeries three times in his career, as he previously had procedures on his right knee in 2018 and 2020 while in college. He also suffered season-ending injuries to each shoulder in 2019 and 2021. Morris has said that the severe nature of Penix's injury will "100 percent" influence Atlanta to "make some different plans" at quarterback this offseason, per Adam Schefter of ESPN, though that could just as easily refer to the team prioritizing a reliable backup rather than bringing in actual competition for the starting role. Kirk Cousins will start the remainder of the season under center for the Falcons, but this offseason the team can exercise a potential 'out' for the final two season of his four-year, $180 million contract at the cost of a $35 million dead-cap hit. Atlanta doesn't currently hold any first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, which will limit the team's ability to maneuver in pursuit of a high-upside alternative at quarterback.
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Falcons' Kirk Cousins: First win as starter in 2025
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Cousins completed 16 of 23 pass attempts for 199 yards, two touchdowns and an interception while gaining five yards on two carries in Sunday's 24-10 win over New Orleans.
Cousins earned his first win of the 2025 season in his second start for the Falcons after it was announced that starter Michael Penix (knee) will miss the remainder of the year. The 36-year-old Cousins experienced greater success compared to his spot-start in a loss to the Dolphins back in Week 8 and a pair of relief appearances that netted zero combined touchdowns. The highly-paid backup is unlikely to reach the elite levels of production we were used to seeing back in his heyday playing for Washington and Minnesota, but he proved on Sunday that he can still operate an NFL offense at a respectable level. Cousins will face another soft matchup against the Jets next Sunday, putting him on the map in deeper formats as a potential bye week or injury replacement.
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Falcons' Michael Penix: Surgery coming this week
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Penix is scheduled to undergo full reconstructive ACL surgery on his left knee in Los Angeles during the upcoming week and is expected to face a nine-month recovery, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
With Penix set for season-ending surgery, Kirk Cousins will take over as the Falcons' new starting quarterback beginning with Sunday's game in New Orleans. Even though Penix's estimated nine-month recovery timeline would give him a chance to be ready to play by Week 1 of the 2026 campaign, head coach Raheem Morris acknowledged that Penix's medical history will likely prompt the team to make alternative plans at quarterback -- whether that's retaining Cousins or bringing aboard someone else -- this coming offseason as a safeguard. During his time in college, Penix previously underwent surgeries to repair the ACL in his right knee in 2018 and 2020, and he also had two other seasons end early due to joint injuries to each of his shoulders.
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Falcons' Kirk Cousins: Taking over for rest of season
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The Falcons announced Wednesday that Cousins will take over as their starting quarterback beginning with Sunday's game at New Orleans after a second opinion confirmed that Michael Penix (knee) will require season-ending surgery to address a partially torn left ACL, Terrin Waack of the team's official site reports.
Cousins already looked to be in line to start at least four games after the Falcons relayed Monday that Penix would be headed to injured reserve, but now that the 25-year-old quarterback has been confirmed to need season-ending surgery, Cousins' run atop the depth chart will be extended. Per Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com, head coach Raheem Morris said Wednesday that Easton Stick will be signed to the 53-man roster to work as Cousins' backup, while Kyle Trask will replace Stick on the team's practice squad. Cousins hasn't been productive in limited opportunities this season, as the Falcons have scored just one touchdown across the 17 offensive drives he's led so far (not counting kneel-downs). Though he draws a favorable matchup for his second start of the season against the 2-8 Saints, Cousins will have to make do without one of his top pass-catching options in Drake London (knee), who is week-to-week with a PCL injury.
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Falcons' Michael Penix: Lands on IR
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The Falcons placed Penix (knee) on injured reserve Monday, Terrin Waack of the Falcons' official site reports.
Atlanta is still evaluating Penix to determine the severity of the left knee injury he sustained in Sunday's 30-27 overtime loss to the Panthers, but with his move to IR, the second-year quarterback will miss at least four games. Kirk Cousins is slated to take over as the Falcons' new starting signal-caller in Penix's absence. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network previously relayed that Penix aggravated an existing bone bruise and knee sprain while also suffering damage to the ACL in his left knee. During his college career, the 25-year-old underwent surgeries to address ACL tears in his right knee in 2018 and 2020, and he also suffered season-ending shoulder injuries in 2019 and 2021.
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Falcons' Michael Penix: Could miss additional games
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Penix (knee) is believed to have aggravated a previous knee injury during Sunday's 30-27 overtime loss to the Panthers, and there is concern that he could miss additional time, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network report.
Penix exited in the third quarter of Sunday's loss, and Kirk Cousins finished out the game in relief. Cousins filled in when Penix sat out Atlanta's 34-10 loss to the Dolphins due to a bone bruise in his knee Week 8. If Penix misses additional action as feared, Cousins would start Week 12 against the Saints. Penix is set for additional testing on his injury.
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Falcons' Michael Penix: Cleared to play Week 9
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Penix (knee) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game at New England, Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com reports.
WR Drake London (hip), WR Darnell Mooney (hamstring), TE Kyle Pitts (ankle) and LT Jake Matthews (ankle) also avoided game designations on the final injury report, bringing Atlanta's offense back to near-full strength ahead of a challenging matchup. Kirk Cousins' poor performance in Penix's stead last week likely answers questions about Penix being benched for performance reasons anytime soon.
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Easton Stick: Back with practice squad
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Stick reverted to the Falcons' practice squad Monday, per the NFL's official transaction log.
Stick operated as the team's backup quarterback behind Kirk Cousins in Sunday's 34-10 loss to Miami, failing to enter the game. The quarterback could be elevated to the active roster again in Week 9 versus the Patriots if Michael Penix (knee) remains unavailable.
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Falcons' Michael Penix: Officially inactive Sunday
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Penix (knee) is listed as inactive Sunday against the Dolphins, Tori McElhaney of the Falcons' official site reports.
Penix was clearly hobbled in the waning minutes of last Sunday's loss at San Francisco. The eventual diagnosis was a bone bruise in his knee that limited him in practice during the entirety of Week 8 prep and left him questionable for Sunday's game. Adam Schefter of ESPN then reported Saturday morning that Kirk Cousins was likely to start in place of Penix, before reporting later Saturday that Cousins was trending toward leading the Falcons offense this weekend. Now that Penix has been deemed unavailable, Cousins will make his first start since Week 15 of last season, while the former has a good chance to return to action next Sunday in New England, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
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Falcons' Michael Penix: Set to miss Week 8
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Penix (knee) remains listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Dolphins but isn't on track to play, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
A bone bruise in his knee held Penix to three limited practice sessions this week, though he was deemed questionable on Friday's final injury report, with head coach Raheem Morris expressing optimism that the second-year quarterback would be able to play. However, the tide turned on that outlook Saturday, and Schefter's sources indicate that Penix will miss Sunday's matchup versus Miami. As a result, Kirk Cousins is slated to start at quarterback for the first time this season. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Falcons are hopeful that Penix's absence will be contained to one week, with the second-year signal-caller having a "real chance" to be back on the field Nov. 2 at New England.
