Falcons offseason checklist: Is Kirk Cousins worth keeping?

With the new league year kicking off March 12, NFL teams are already deep into planning for the offseason.

Here are five moves the Atlanta Falcons should make in the coming months.

1. Trade QB Kirk Cousins

It would likely require eating some of his 2025 salary to make it work, but Atlanta must move on from Cousins after his disastrous 2024.

The 13-year veteran was benched in Week 16 after he threw for one touchdown and nine interceptions over a five-game span. Rookie Michael Penix Jr. took over and showed enough for the Falcons to feel comfortable handing him the keys to the first-team offense, making Cousins expendable.

Earlier this offseason, reports surfaced that Cousins suffered injuries to his throwing shoulder and elbow in Week 10 against the Saints, marking the beginning of his downfall. When healthy, Cousins could still be an effective passer. And with a weak free-agent quarterback class, Cousins might have more value on the trade market.

2. Go all-in to acquire defensive end Myles Garrett

The Browns won’t easily acquiesce to Garrett’s trade demand, but the Falcons could make Cleveland more comfortable signing off on a deal with an attractive offer. 

Atlanta would solve its yearslong quest to find a pass-rusher by adding Garrett. According to Stathead, the team has a league-low 112 sacks since 2021. In 2024, the Falcons ranked 31st in sacks (31) and 25th in pressure rate (20 percent).

With Penix Jr. in line to start, Atlanta must take advantage of having a quarterback on a cost-controlled rookie contract while it can. With Garrett, the Falcons would vault to NFC South favorites with the potential to make noise in the playoffs. 

3. Pick up WR Drake London’s fifth-year option

According to Over The Cap, London’s 2026 fifth-year option is $17M, making Atlanta’s decision easy before the May 1 deadline.

In 2024, London had career highs in receptions (100), receiving yards (1,271) and receiving touchdowns (nine). He has 3,042 receiving yards since being drafted No. 8 overall in 2022. He’s Atlanta’s best wide receiver since Julio Jones from 2011-2020.

London set the groundwork for a big 2025 by establishing a strong rapport with Penix Jr., who started Atlanta’s final three games. During that span, London averaged 13 targets and had 22 receptions, 352 yards (16 yards per reception) and two touchdowns.

4. Re-sign center Drew Dalman

Dalman, a fourth-round pick in 2021 (No. 115 overall), played on the final year of his rookie contract in 2024. Last season, he successfully returned from a Week 3 ankle injury to have a productive end to the season. Per Pro Football Focus, from Weeks 13-18 (six games), Dalman — one of the league’s better centers — allowed one sack and five total pressures in 206 pass-block situations. 

With the franchise tag for offensive linemen at $25.8M, Atlanta’s only realistic path toward keeping Dalman is agreeing to a long-term contract. Last offseason, the Titans signed center Lloyd Cushenberry to a four-year, $50M contract. Dalman would likely command more — think in the range of Saints center Erik McCoy (five years, $60M) and Chiefs center Creed Humphrey (four years, $72 million), the league’s two highest-paid centers in terms of overall contract value.

5. Explore TE Kyle Pitts’ trade market

The Falcons might have wasted the fourth overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft on the inconsistent tight end, but they could recoup value for their massive mistake by putting Pitts on the trade block.

Atlanta selected Pitts directly ahead of Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, who has blossomed into one of the league’s most outstanding wide receivers.

Meanwhile, Pitts has floundered, averaging 541.7 yards per season since 2022 after having 1,026 receiving yards as a rookie. Per PFF, his 25 percent contested catch rate in 2024 ranked last among 19 tight ends who received at least 70 targets, while his 7.8 percent drop rate was the third highest.

Could another team be suckered into believing it could revive Pitts’ career? If only the Falcons were so lucky.