Could Kirk Cousins lose his starting job with Falcons?

Sep 29, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) walks off the field after a game against the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Falcons have lost three consecutive games, and part of that is down to underwhelming play from quarterback Kirk Cousins. The issues are significant enough that there are now some outside questions about whether Cousins is guaranteed to keep his starting job until the end of the season.

Bleacher Report’s James Palmer reported Thursday that there is no indication right now that the Falcons are even considering a quarterback change. He added, however, that the Falcons love rookie Michael Penix Jr. and what he has been able to show in practice, and that they could reassess their stance if Cousins struggles for a few more weeks.

“There’s no conversation, to my understanding, right now in the building right now about making a quarterback change,” Palmer said. “But if this happens for another two weeks and things start to slip away in Atlanta (for) a team that was almost certain to be in the postseason, that conversation is most likely going to happen in the building. Because of the way they feel about Penix, because of his age, because of the amount of time he spent in college, they do not think he would be a swimming rookie by any stretch.”

Palmer added that even if no change is made during the season, the Falcons could at least look into trading Cousins during the offseason.

The Falcons baffled many by taking Penix with the No. 8 pick in the draft despite signing Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract with $100 million in guarantees. It suggested a relative lack of faith in Cousins despite paying him a lot of money, and it supposedly shocked even Cousins. That storyline generally faded once the season started, but Cousins’ recent performances, including throwing four interceptions against the Los Angeles Chargers, have brought the question back.

The 6-6 Falcons still lead the NFC South, albeit on a head-to-head tiebreaker with Tampa Bay. They will have to win some games on the stretch if they want to make the playoffs.