Falcons Restructure Cousins Contract for Cap Relief

The Atlanta Falcons and quarterback Kirk Cousins have agreed to restructure the final two years of his contract, a move that positions the team to release or trade the veteran signal-caller before a key March deadline and provides immediate salary cap relief.

Under the revised terms, reported by ESPN's Field Yates, Cousins' base salary for the 2026 season drops from $35 million to $2.1 million, while a $67.9 million guarantee for 2027 now vests on March 13. This adjustment ensures the Falcons must decide on Cousins' future before that date, as no team would likely commit to such a high figure. The changes leave his existing guaranteed money intact from the original four-year, $180 million deal signed in the 2024 offseason, which included $100 million in guarantees. By reducing the nonguaranteed portion, the Falcons gain flexibility to designate Cousins for a post-June 1 release, spreading any dead cap hit across 2026 and 2027 and avoiding a full $35 million charge in one year.

The restructuring follows a turbulent two seasons for Cousins in Atlanta. Signed as a free agent to stabilize the quarterback position, he appeared in 24 games with 22 starts, passing for 5,229 yards, 28...