Who Should I Start? Kirk Cousins or Nico Collins

Thursday, January 9, 12:26 PM

Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said that the team is comfortable moving forward next year with quarterback Kirk Cousins as the backup to Michael Penix Jr. It's very unlikely that Cousins will be in Atlanta next year as a backup with a $40 million salary cap hit. The more likely outcome this offseason is that the Falcons end up trading Cousins to a team looking for a veteran QB while they find their signal-caller of the future in the draft. If Cousins were to be cut before June 1, he'd carry a $65 million cap hit for 2025. The 36-year-old is also due a $10 million roster cut on March 17, so if he's not traded, Atlanta is expected to cut him before then. Cousins was benched for Penix in Week 16 and ended up being a bust after signing a four-year, $180 million deal last offseason. The four-time Pro Bowler threw for 3,508 yards, 18 touchdowns and a league-high 16 interceptions in his 14 starts.

Saturday, January 18, 7:53 PM

Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins finished his team's Divisional Round playoff defeat at Kansas City with five catches on eight targets for 81 yards, a decent day considering Houston's considerable challenges in the passing game. The Texans surrendered eight sacks and only completed 19 passes as quarterback C.J. Stroud spent most of the afternoon under siege. The 25-year-old receiver further cemented his status as a No. 1 option in 2024, but by the end of the season, didn't have much support with compatriots Tank Dell (knee) and Stefon Diggs (knee) out for the year. He figures to be part of the long-term plan for Houston, which ends the season in the Divisional Round for the second straight year.