This year, the Falcons’ draft picks made one thing crystal clear. They are doubling down on defenses for the team. HC Raheem Morris and GM Terry Fontenot had a clear vision. As Fontenot notably said, “It doesn’t always line up to where the need matches the board in terms of the players that are there, but it really worked out for us – We truly were able to bring in impact players in all areas.” And that vision was clearly delivered.
The Falcons added Jalon Walker (LB/Edge), James Pearce Jr. (Edge), Xavier Watts (S), Billy Bowman Jr. (DB), and Jack Nelson (OT). These 5 young bloods will add much-needed room for maneuverability to Michael Penix Jr.’s plays. And moving forward, Morris and Fontenot’s vision is still going strong. Both of their first-rounders have signed their contracts and are raring to go prove their mettle on the gridiron.
As per an Instagram post by Adam Schefter, James Pearce has signed his 4-year rookie deal. As Schefter wrote, “Falcons first-round pick James Pearce Jr. now has signed his rookie deal, meaning both of Atlanta’s top picks are under contract.” Walker signed a $20.56m deal just recently, and now Pearce joins his side with a $16.8m deal for himself. After the drafts, the team’s defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich was all praises for Walker. He said, “He stands for everything we think this football team should embody.” While that’s big in its own regard, Pearce has also received a shoutout from Fontenot. “…we want to bring in guys that love ball and love to compete and as we build this roster the right way, and we spent a lot of time with him making sure that he was going to fit.”
And just like that, Atlanta had two guaranteed edge rushers, adding to their defences. How they will fare during the OTAs still remains to be seen, but they bring a lot of promise to the table for sure. Ulbrich has high hopes for Walker and even compares him to Bryce Huff, a similar player Ulbrich has coached. As for Pearce, well, the Falcons traded up to get him in the first round as their second pick. That action stands by itself. And Fontenot believes, “whether it’s in the run game or the pass game, he’s disruptive in that way, really flies around, love the way he plays, love the way he competes.” The Falcons have got two major steals in the first round. And we can’t wait to see them in their explosive action.
But as the offseason rolls on, there is another decision that the Falcons don’t seem to be making. Their QB situation with Kirk Cousins. The Falcons are all in with Penix. Cousins doesn’t want to be a backup. He wants to be a starter. He has made that perfectly clear, along with his unhappiness with the Falcons. But as per insiders, the Falcons don’t seem to want to let him go. And that kind of works in Cousins’ favor. Sort of.
Kirk Cousins – backup or big trade chip?
Kirk Cousins is a name that is getting harder and harder to ignore. Falcons QB Kirk Cousins is becoming a deer staring at you through glass windows in the morning. You can try to catch a few extra minutes of sleep, but you just can’t ignore the deer. But the Falcons seem to be working on a plan that might give us an answer very soon. According to Adam Schefter, the Falcons have asked “for any acquiring team to pay $20 million of the $45 million worth of guarantees left on Cousins’ contract.” Schefter had also noted, “The Falcons and Cousins, who has a no-trade clause, recognize their future is not together…” And for any team that really needs a veteran QB right now, $20 million might just seem like a fair price to pay. But the Falcons aren’t making it easy.
As Ian Rapoport sees it, we will be talking about Kirk Cousins all through the preseason. Rapoport said, “As of right now, it certainly appears Kirk Cousins is set to be their backup quarterback for the 2025 season. Obviously, if any team needs a quarterback with starting experience, that would also, by the way, could the Pittsburgh Steelers, if Aaron Rodgers doesn’t go there, Cousins would be the first call.” Here we are, still wondering, what’s the deal with Rodgers? And while we wonder what chess moves grandmaster A-Rod is planning, Kirk Cousins looks like a very good substitute for the Steelers. A solid “Plan B” as some people call him. Rapoport further added, “Every time a quarterback gets hurt, the Falcons are going to be like, ‘Hello, look at the guy we got.’ – Maybe they could get a potential premium draft pick for a guy who’s now their backup.”
So, the Kirk Cousins trade rumors will continue to swirl. And for every team that needs a veteran QB, Cousins will be the ideal bargaining chip for the Falcons. But Cousins isn’t making it easy either. He’s showing up to Falcons’ practices, throwing the ball with Penix and the crew. He’s either making his loyalties known (not very likely), or he’s simply taking the opportunity as a sales pitch for all the teams out there. How this will pan out is something no one knows, but as the drama continues, we’ll be sure to hear his name mentioned again and again.
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