The 13-year veteran, who will be 37 years old at the start of the 2025 season, did not attend the Falcons voluntary OTAs in May. Cousins, who is scheduled to make $40 million in the upcoming season, is set to be Michael Penix’s backup. The Falcons remain open to trading Cousins for the right price, but most media reports have them asking for quite a bit for the quarterback without retaining salary.

The 13-year veteran quarterback did not attend the Falcons voluntary OTAs in May, but did work out with the team in April. The team has repeatedly committed to Michael Penix as the Week 1 starter, even suggesting they could keep Cousins — scheduled to make $40 million in 2025 — as Penix’s backup. Cousins, who will be 37 at the start of the 2025 season, threw for 3508-18-16 in 14 games last season and had an abysmal five-game stretch in which he threw just one touchdown to nine interceptions, which ultimately led to his benching. The Falcons remain open to trading Cousins for the right price but that has not been met by any teams who have shown interest.

Falcons head coach Raheem Morris hardly seemed surprise by Cousins’ no-show, as the team tries to find a way to sever ties with Cousins, 36, following his disastrous 2024 season. The team has repeatedly committed to Michael Penix as the Week 1 starter, even suggesting they could keep Cousins — scheduled to make $40 million in 2025 — as Penix’s backup. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowlers reported last week that Cousins is “on the Steelers’ radar” if Pittsburgh can’t come to terms with Aaron Rodgers as their 2025 starter. That could be the only remaining path for Cousins if he’s intent on getting out of Atlanta this summer.

Fowler adds that the “feeling around the league” is Atlanta has been unwilling to budge on taking on enough of Cousins’ salary to facilitate a deal, but that the Steelers “might be the only hope for Cousins or he’s stuck in Atlanta.” The Aaron Rodgers holding pattern has settled in over Pittsburgh since it became apparent before the draft that he was the last starting-caliber quarterback who was available as a free agent. It would be surprising to see the Steelers trade for Cousins at this point. But it can’t be completely ruled out until Rodgers is officially signed.