Falcons' trade pitch ditches $180 million veteran to NFC rival stuck in QB purgatory

The Atlanta Falcons are excited for the upcoming season, and there's a level of buzz around the franchise that hasn’t been felt in years. The Falcons are a young team, and if they develop together, they could become a serious force in the league as time goes on. A major reason for the excitement is rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who took over for veteran Kirk Cousins after Cousins endured one of the worst stretches of his career last season.

The Falcons are slated to appear in several primetime games this year, largely due to the excitement surrounding Penix. If he stays on track, he could become a dominant presence in the league.

“It’s a bit surprising that the Falcons have five prime-time games this season,” Dajani wrote. “I believe that's because of the excitement surrounding Michael Penix Jr.”

With Penix positioned as the franchise’s future, Cousins appears to be on his way out of Atlanta—potentially in exchange for a premium draft pick.

“Every time a quarterback gets hurt, the Falcons are going to be like, ‘Hello, look at the guy we got,’” Ian Rapoport said. “He suggested that Atlanta could even land a premium draft pick by trading Cousins during the season if a team becomes desperate enough.”

One possible destination for Cousins could be an NFC South rival in desperate need of quarterback help.

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“The Saints are currently looking like the main location for Cousins as they are in purgatory with not a single player who has won a regular-season game. Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener have both had decent showings but nothing to confirm a starting spot, especially after the team drafted Tyler Shough in the second round,” Hery Acosta wrote.

While it’s rare for a trade of this magnitude to happen within the same division, the Saints may have no choice. If New Orleans makes a strong enough offer, Atlanta could be tempted to make the deal. The Falcons appear to be waiting patiently for the right opportunity—and the Saints just might provide it.