Atlanta Falcons, Kirk Cousins
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Atlanta Falcons QB Kirk Cousins.
Former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins finally found his new team, signing with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Cousins signs weeks after free agency began, watching other quarterbacks land elsewhere — including former Miami Dolphins signal-caller Tua Tagovailoa signing with the Falcons.
While Cousins may have been late to the signing party, his deal with the Raiders is significant — and still leaves the Falcons footing a large portion of the bill.
Kirk Cousins Lands $20M Deal — Falcons Still Paying Big
Cousins, who will be 38 at the start of the season, once again secured a lucrative deal, all things considered. He will make a guaranteed $20 million in 2026, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
His salary is essentially doubled thanks to the $8.7 million the Falcons still owe him, along with the $1.3 million base salary from the Raiders. But the structure goes deeper than that, Pelissero explains.
Falcons pay $8.7M in 2026, with the Raiders paying the $1.3 minimum base salary.
Raiders pay Cousins a $10M fully guaranteed roster bonus on the third day of the league year next March that is not subject to offsets.
Raiders hold a two-year, $80M option for 2027-28, which is unlikely (though not impossible) to be picked up.
The deal also includes two void years in 2029-30 for cap purposes.
“On paper, it’s a three-year, $81.3M deal (or five for $172M with the void years). In reality, it’s one-year, $20 million for Kirk Cousins, who now will have played under fully guaranteed contracts for 11 consecutive seasons,” Pelissero said.
This only adds to Cousins’ career earnings, which now rank third all-time in NFL history at $321.6 million. His previous deal with the Falcons was a four-year, $180 million contract, though he played just two seasons before being released on a restructured deal.
“The Raiders were engaged with Kirk Cousins since Atlanta released him,” Pelissero added. “But Cousins could’ve made $10 million to sit on the couch and wasn’t going to play for free. The sides found a creative way to double his pay for 2026 while maximizing flexibility for both sides.”
Kirk Cousins Contract Could Change How NFL Deals Are Done
Cousins was said to have interest from other teams after leaving Atlanta, with The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reporting that the Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams and Green Bay Packers all viewed him more as a backup option.
Instead, Cousins lands with the Raiders — and does so with a contract that may have bigger implications than just where he plays in 2026.
According to SI’s Albert Breer, the way this deal was structured was anything but normal.
“Really smart way to work around the offset, get the player more money and force his old team to pick up a big part of freight. And a way, in the future, for teams and players to work around offsets,” Breer said.
That’s exactly what happened here.
Instead of a standard deal where the Falcons would save money after releasing Cousins, the Raiders structured things in a way that keeps Atlanta paying a large portion of his salary while still increasing what Cousins earns overall.
It’s a creative workaround — and one that could have ripple effects across the league.
Breer even noted that similar situations involving Tua Tagovailoa and Kyler Murray didn’t take advantage of this kind of structure.
“Didn’t happen with Tua and Kyler. Probably would’ve if this happened first,” Breer added.
In other words, this isn’t just about Cousins landing with the Raiders. It’s about a contract structure that could open the door for future deals to be built the same way — allowing players to make more money while their former teams still carry the financial burden.