Falcons' Kirk Cousins: Not expected at OTAs

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Cousins isn't expected to show up for voluntary OTAs this spring, D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

The Falcons kept Cousins on the roster in mid-March rather than releasing him to avoid having a $10 million guarantee kicking in. He may still be traded at some point this offseason, but there's a real chance he enters Week 1 as the backup in Atlanta behind 2024 first-round pick Michael Penix. The Falcons benched Cousins in favor of Penix for the final three games last season, with the rookie completing 58 of 100 passes for 737 yards (7.4 YPA), three TDs and three INTs, plus seven carries for 11 yards and another score. Penix played well enough to keep the starting job heading into 2025, but perhaps not well enough for the Falcons to be confident that he's a franchise QB in the making.