Kirk Cousins is on the brink of starting his whopping four-year, $180 million contract - provided he follows his doctor's advice.
The former Minnesota Vikings star disclosed in March at his introductory press conference that he has yet to pass an Achilles-specific physical exam after injuring the tendon. This raised questions about the specifics of his deal, following Jimmy Garoppolo's harsh contract clause last year, but Cousins seems well-protected.
As long as he "continues to rehabilitate such pre-existing Right Achilles injury as required by and under the supervision and direction of Club's Head Team Physician and Club's Head Athletic Trainer," his hefty $50 million signing bonus will be secured, according to a source familiar with the contract terms who spoke to NBC's ProFootballTalk.
After Brock Purdy spectacularly seized the starting quarterback role in San Francisco, veteran QB Jimmy Garoppolo moved on and signed a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders. However, it emerged that the Raiders had a clause allowing them to release him if he failed his physical as he recovered from a foot injury.
While Garoppolo did indeed pass his physical and start last season, he was eventually released after a disappointing campaign. Nonetheless, Cousins need not fear the pressure Garoppolo faced to recover last season as long as he adheres to instructions.
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Cousins sustained a torn Achilles in October 2023, which sidelined him for the remainder of the season, prompting speculation that the Falcons might seek to alter their substantial contract following a bewildering draft-night decision. After signing Cousins to a lucrative four-year contract, Atlanta used the eighth pick to select Washington quarterback prodigy Michael Penix Jr., a puzzling choice to use a top-10 pick on a long-term, 23-year-old backup, a decision made without informing Cousins until draft night.
Penix was drafted to Atlanta with the eighth-overall pick (Getty Images)"When you can add a high-caliber player like that, with his intangibles, those tools, he's a winner. Very, very excited," Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said about drafting Penix. "You don't pass up that opportunity. Kirk Cousins is our quarterback, we're very excited about Kirk. Very excited about this team. Michael Penix iswe're talking about the future. If [Penix] sits for four or five years, that's a great problem to have because we're doing so well at that position."
There are several scenarios that could see the ex-Husky stepping into the starting role before Cousins' contract runs out. For instance, ProFootballTalk has suggested that if Penix really impresses in the offseason workouts, or OTA's, the Falcons might trade Cousins with a reduced salary cap hit if they offload him before June 1.
A trade post-2025 would also be financially feasible for the Falcons, so while a midseason trade of Cousins seems improbable, there are avenues for Penix to fast-track his way to the starting position.
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