The Falcons have suffered yet another critical injury.
In the event that Jimmy Garoppolo’s foot injury stopped him from passing a physical prior to the start of the season, the Raiders had an out clause in his contract with him from the previous year.
During his Atlanta pre-season press conference this year, Kirk Cousins disclosed that he had cleared a physical for all injuries except for his Achilles tendon injury and that he would need to clear an Achilles-specific physical later.
As the Falcons selected quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick in the NFL, a question began to cross my confused and damaged mind. What happens if Cousins fails a physical examination prior to a deadline, and the Falcons are able to avoid signing him?
The Falcons are helpless, in contrast to the Raiders in 2023. with a single, extremely limited exception.
A source familiar with the terms of the agreement states that Cousins’s $50 million signing bonus is contingent upon passing a physical examination, but it does not take into account any prior Achilles injuries — “provided Player continues to rehabilitate such pre-existing Right Achilles injury as required by and under the supervision and direction of Club’s Head Athletic Trainer and Head Team Physician.”
The Falcons are liable for the entire $50 million as long as Cousins follows the advice of the head athletic trainer and team doctor on the Achilles issue.
Naturally, that does not bind the Falcons and Cousins to one another forever. In 2025, Cousins’ salary of just $27.5 million is due it wouldn’t be difficult to locate a suitor for Cousins in 2025 if both parties choose to end things amicably after one season. (Cousins’ no-trade provision exists.) A pre-June 1 trade would cost $37.5 million in dead money, but the Falcons would avoid having to pay Cousins an extra $37.5 million in guarantees. Additionally, having their starting quarterback under a rookie contract helps them absorb the Cousins cap hit if they think Penix is ready after only one season.
Nevertheless, even if he is traded in 2025, they would have paid him $62.5 million for just one season.
A deal that occurs after 2025 but before June 1, 2026, will incur a $25 million reduced cap charge. In that case, Cousins will have received $90 million from the Falcons over a two-year period.
It all depends on when they want to switch to Penix. They’ve made the absurd suggestion that Penix may sit for four or five years in an attempt to diffuse the tension. The Falcons could, in fact, make the switch to Penix in the next year or two if there are no significant contract issues.
Additionally, there is a remote possibility that the Falcons will deal Cousins before to the 2024–2025 season.season.
A trade after June 1, 2024, would have the same cap effect as a deal before June 1, 2025, assuming Penix lights it up in OTAs, if another club loses a starting quarterback before the regular season begins, and if that team and Cousins decide to get together. Furthermore, the new team might agree to pay the $12.5 million signing bonus due in September 2024 and the additional $12.5 million due in December 2024 for Cousins.
