Falcons will indeed cut Kirk Cousins before March 13

NBC Sports•January 6, 2026•sports

Key Points:

Kirk Cousins will be released by the Atlanta Falcons after the start of the league year in March, with a post-June 1 designation spreading $35 million in dead cap over two years.
The Falcons moved most of Cousins’s 2026 salary to 2027 to reduce their immediate cap hit, and a $67.9 million guarantee vests on March 13, ensuring his release between March 11-12.
Cousins agreed to the contract modification to avoid the Falcons paying his $10 million roster bonus in early March and to gain early free agency access, allowing him to enter the market by the second day of the league year.
The first $10 million Cousins earns in 2026