Could Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins move over to the Dallas Cowboys after next season?

The Falcons signed Cousins in free agency this past March, handing him a massive four-year, $180 million deal that features $100 million in guaranteed money.

So you can imagine Cousins’ reaction when the Falcons selected University of Washington signal-caller Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick of the NFL Draft late last month.

Why commit all of that money to Cousins if you were just going to take a quarterback in the draft?

Atlanta has insisted that it is merely trying to avoid another post-Matt Ryan situation and that it wants itself covered for when Cousins eventually departs.

But it’s still a weird move for a team that is trying to contend in 2024 and had numerous other holes on the roster that it needed to fill. Heck, it could have taken Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze to provide another much-needed weapon for Cousins in the receiving corps.

Well, K.D. Drummond of Cowboys Wire has envisioned a scenario in which Cousins and the Falcons part ways after next season, opening the door for a union with the Cowboys.

Drummond notes that Cousins could be a trade candidate after 2024, noting that Atlanta could actually open up $2.5 million in caps space if it dealt him next offseason.

But why Dallas?

Remember: Dak Prescott is preparing to enter the final year of his deal, and thus far, he has not seemed to make much progress with the Cowboys in contract negotiations.

Prescott is said to be asking for $60 million annually, a price Dallas is evidently not willing to pay. The Cowboys appear inclined to allow Prescott to test free agency next March. That way, if a team does not give Prescott the $60 million per year he apparently desires, Dallas would then be able to sign him back on a more economical deal.

Or, perhaps the Cowboys will let Prescott go altogether and swing a trade for Cousins, who would certainly be a cheaper option than Prescott?

This is obviously all conjecture at this point. After all, Cousins has not even taken a snap for the Falcons yet, and it’s entirely possible that Dallas and Prescott strike a long-term agreement before the season.

That being said, it’s certainly an interesting scenario given the awkwardness that must now exist between Cousins and Atlanta’s front office, not to mention the potential hard feelings that may be present between Prescott and Cowboys brass.

We’ll see if Kirk Cousins makes it more than one season with the Falcons.

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