Kirk Cousins signs with Raiders, saving Falcons $1.3 million against the cap

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JANUARY 04: Kirk Cousins #18 of the Atlanta Falcons looks to pass during the second quarter of the game against the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 04, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Kirk Cousins saga won't truly be over until the Falcons have cleared his $12.5 million dead money charge for 2027, but we're putting the era in the rear view mirror nonetheless. The latest step? Cousins signing what's effectively a one-year deal with the Raiders, with some cap shenanigans that could make it a two-year pact if he ends up shining and Las Vegas is willing to pony up.

The headline from a Falcons perspective is that the signing, which is for $1.3 million in base salary and carries a few nice perks, will give Atlanta $1.3 million in salary cap relief against the $10 million roster bonus they owed him. That essentially means they get Tua Tagovailoa's salary for 2026 (also $1.3 million) back, and will be paying $8.7 million instead. As mentioned before, they'll also have $12.5 million in dead money next year, but as of right now that's set to be their only dead money impacting the cap. They're carrying $22.5 million in dead money this year, however.

The #Raiders have essentially signed Kirk Cousins to a 1 year, $11.3M contract, that will result in $20M cash.

Raiders
2026: $1.3M (gtd)
2027: $10M roster bonus (gtd)

Falcons
2026: $8.7M

By structuring the deal this way, the #Falcons will still be on the hook for $8.7M, due to...

- Spotrac (@spotrac) April 2, 2026

It's not a clean break, in other words, but after two seasons of largely forgettable football alongside a few moments of brilliance, the Falcons and Cousins have moved on. Cousins will get to mentor and compete with another young quarterback in Fernando Mendoza-that's the expectation, anyways-and the Falcons will get a good look at whether either Michael Penix Jr. or Tua can be their quarterback of the near future. I'm certain both sides are happy to be moving in a different direction.