Falcons to keep QB Kirk Cousins past deadline

Sat Mar 15 2:47pm ET
Field Level Media

The Atlanta Falcons plan to keep Kirk Cousins on their roster past the 4 p.m. ET deadline Saturday, multiple outlets reported. As a result, the quarterback's $10 million roster bonus that is due in 2026 will be fully guaranteed.

That decision grants the Falcons additional time as they weigh the 36-year-old Cousins' future with the team.

Atlanta is all in on quarterback Michael Penix Jr. as the face of the franchise.

In his return from a torn Achilles and debut season with the Falcons, Cousins said arm injuries were a detriment and led to him being benched in favor of Penix in December. Cousins went to the bench after tossing one touchdown and nine interceptions in a five-game stretch that knocked the Falcons out of playoff position.

Atlanta selected Penix eighth overall in last April's draft shortly after Cousins signed a four-year, $180 million deal with the Falcons.

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JuJu Smith-Schuster Mar 15 7:40pm ET
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Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster has signed a new deal to remain with the organization. Smith-Schuster returns on a one-year deal for an undisclosed amount of money. The former second-round pick was decent as a depth option for the Chiefs last season. He hauled in 18 receptions for 231 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games (eight starts) with the Chiefs last season. The expectation is that Smith-Schuster will slide somewhere behind Xavier Worthy, Marquise Brown, and Rashee Rice (knee) once he's healthy enough to play. It's tough to imagine Smith-Schuster being a fantasy relevant player on a weekly basis.

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D'Wayne Eskridge Mar 15 7:40pm ET
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The Miami Dolphins have re-signed wide receiver Dee Eskridge. The two sides have agreed on a one-year deal for an undisclosed amount of money. The former second-round pick from 2021 has unfortunately not lived up to the hype. Last season, Eskridge hauled in three receptions for 44 yards in six games during his first year with the Dolphins. He averaged nearly 30 yards per kick return, so that is likely why the Dolphins decided to bring him back. Eskridge could see a few targets as well, but he'll probably mainly be used on special teams, so he won't be fantasy relevant.

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Parris Campbell Mar 15 7:20pm ET
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The Dallas Cowboys have agreed to a deal with free-agent wide receiver Parris Campbell on Saturday. The two sides have agreed on a one-year deal for an undisclosed amount of money. This is not exactly a blockbuster move, but it does give the Cowboys more depth at wideout. The expectation is that Campbell will sit somewhere behind CeeDee Lamb and Jalen Tolbert on the depth chart. The 27-year-old barely saw the field last season as he recorded six receptions for 30 yards with one touchdown in five games with the Philadelphia Eagles. Campbell hasn't exactly been fantasy relevant throughout his career outside of his 623-yard season in 2022. The Cowboys have a handful of capable pass-catchers, so Campbell is unlikely to be fantasy relevant in 2025.

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Chidobe Awuzie Mar 15 7:20pm ET
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Tennessee Titans defensive back Chidobe Awuzie has been released by the organization on Saturday. This is an interesting move considering Awuzie signed a three-year deal with Tennessee last offseason. His first season in Tennessee was a disappointment, but it's a bit surprising to see the Titans giving up on him so quick. Awuzie recorded 26 tackles, four passes defended, and one interception in eight games (seven starts) with the Titans last season. He was limited to eight games due to injury, but that's not too shocking considering Awuzie hasn't played a full season since 2019. Despite the injury history, Awuzie should have a decent market as a free agent.

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JuJu Smith-Schuster Mar 15 7:13pm ET
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Dynasty | The Chiefs have re-signed wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster. Dynasty Analysis: Smith-Schuster was only able to post 18 catches for 231 yards and two touchdowns last season, despite playing in 14 games for the Chiefs. Still somehow just 28 years old, Smith-Schuster has proven to be a reliable option, but it seems his days as a primary weapon on offense are all but over. Now seven years removed from his magical 111/1,426/7 year from Pittsburgh, dynasty managers need to honestly move on.

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Parris Campbell Mar 15 7:13pm ET
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Dynasty | The Dallas Cowboys have signed wide receiver Parris Campbell. Dynasty Analysis: Campbell was once a highly though of receiver prospect after being taken in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. However, he just hasn't been productive in his time with the Colts, Giants, or Eagles thus far in his career. He'll make his third NFC East stop in Dallas now with career totals of 123 catches for 1,117 yards and six touchdowns in 49 career games played. Billy Crystal once starred in a movie called "Forget Paris," and dynasty managers should essentially feel the same at this point.

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Michael Penix Jr. Mar 15 7:13pm ET
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Dynasty | The Falcons kept Kirk Cousins past today's roster bonus deadline. Dynasty Analysis: The Falcons are clearly not willing to give Cousins away and are paying him another $10 million in order to possibly find a trade partner and get some draft capital as part of a trade. It's unlikely Cousins is on the roster on opening day, but it's clearly a possibility. Atlanta has proven they're willing to dig in on this one, despite everyone knowing Michael Penix is their starter next season. At this point, this looks like a story that's going to play out for a while, possibly beyond next month's NFL Draft.

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Patrick Johnson Mar 15 3:10pm ET
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The Philadelphia Eagles have reached an agreement with former New York Giants linebacker Patrick Johnson on a one-year deal. The financial terms have not been disclosed. Johnson spent his first three years with the Eagles, racking up 20 tackles, one fumble forced, and one recovered in 48 games, but signed with New York for the 2024 season. He'd appear in 13 games for the G-Men, though he only registered three tackles. However, he did participate on special teams for New York. Philadelphia let a few of their defensive starters depart this offseason, but the 27-year-old figures to operate as a depth piece for the team.

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Jack Heflin Mar 15 2:50pm ET
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The Los Angeles Rams are re-signing defensive lineman Larrell Murchison to a one-year deal. The terms of the contract are currently undisclosed. Murchison is on his fourth stint with the Rams, though he missed the entire 2024 season due to injury, failing to register a snap. The 27-year-old was shelved for the first four weeks of the season after an arm injury he suffered in their first preseason game. Then, during his first practice back with the team, he broke his foot, effectively ending his season. The North Carolina State alum operated as a rotational player on the Rams' defensive front in 2023, notching 16 tackles in 15 appearances. He projects to occupy that role again in 2025, mixing in behind teammates Tyler Davis and Jack Heflin.

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Kirk Cousins Mar 15 2:40pm ET
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NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports that Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins will remain on the roster today past 4 p.m. ET, solidifying his $10 million roster bonus for March of 2026. Pelissero also notes that if Cousins is eventually traded or released, Atlanta's obligation is subject to offsets. Cousins started 14 games for the Falcons in 2024, though he woefully underperformed -- racking up an 18:16 TD:INT ratio before getting benched for rookie signal-caller Michael Penix Jr. in Week 16. It's a strange move for the team, as it would seemingly behoove them more to trade the 36-year-old. Especially considering he's made it clear that he prefers to start rather than ride the bench. With that said, you can't fault Atlanta, as Cousins would be one of the more competent backups in the league.

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Aaron Rodgers Mar 15 2:20pm ET
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The Athletic's Mike Silver reports that free agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers hopes to sign with the Minnesota Vikings. Rodgers was previously linked to the New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers, but Minnesota recently intervened in the situation, and it appears they're the front-runner to land the 41-year-old. Silver also noted in a separate post that if a deal with Minnesota falls through, the veteran quarterback could opt for retirement in lieu of signing with the Giants and Steelers. Rodgers has already put the two teams on hold as he waits for the Vikings to work things out, so he clearly views them as less favorable options. It's an intriguing situation for the teams involved. Still, Rodgers isn't likely to provide much fantasy value in 2025 outside of a potential streaming option.

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Clelin Ferrell Mar 15 1:10pm ET
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John Keim of ESPN.com reports that defensive end Clelin Ferrell is re-signing with the Washington Commanders on a one-year deal. The details of the contract have yet to be disclosed. Ferrell started ten games for the team last season. However, toward the end of the year, he was downgraded to a reserve player, which continued into the playoffs. The 27-year-old, a former first-round pick, registered 26 tackles and 3.5 sacks -- one off his career-high. He was the team's third-leading snap-getter on the edge in 2024. Ferrell is known more for his prowess as a run-stopper than the traditional pass-rushing specialist that a defensive end typically presents as. He projects to serve as a rotational piece on the team's defensive front once again in 2025.

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Kris Boyd Mar 15 12:50pm ET
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The New York Jets have agreed to terms with former Houston Texans defensive back Kris Boyd on an undisclosed deal. The Texas product spent the last two years with the Texans, though he was mainly a contributor on special teams, recording just one tackle across 23 games since 2023. Boyd was selected in the seventh round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings and spent his first four seasons with the team. His best statistical campaign came in 2020 when he notched 30 tackles and a forced fumble in ten games. The 28-year-old will likely play a big part on special teams again in 2025 while serving as a depth piece in the Jets' defensive backfield.

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Tyler Johnson Mar 15 12:20pm ET
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Kyle Juszczyk Mar 15 11:20am ET
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Nine-time Pro Bowl fullback Kyle Juszczyk re-signed with the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday on a two-year, $8 million deal, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Juszczyk will return to the Bay Area for his ninth year after the Niners released him back on Monday. The 33-year-old has never been on the fantasy radar, but he will continue to be a key blocking asset in the team's backfield for starting running back Christian McCaffrey (knee) in 2025. When Juszczyk does factor in on offense, it's usually through the air as a receiver. In his 12-year NFL career, he's caught 281 passes on 378 targets for 2,664 yards and 18 total touchdowns while carrying the ball only 67 times for 237 yards and six TDs. Last year in 17 games (15 starts), he had 19 catches on 31 targets for 200 yards and two scores, adding just five carries for 26 yards and one TD.

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Grady Jarrett Mar 14 10:40pm ET
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The Atlanta Falcons agreed to terms on a two-year deal worth $8.5 million with former Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Morgan Fox on Friday, according to his agency, the Aura Sports Group. Cox had 15.5 sacks the last three seasons and will be a notable addition to a Falcons defensive line that really struggled to generate pressure on opposing quarterbacks in 2024. The 30-year-old former undrafted free agent out of Colorado State-Pueblo has 27.5 career sacks and 183 tackles (120) solo in his eight NFL seasons with the Chargers, Los Angeles Rams and Carolina Panthers. Fox is a quality rotational pass-rusher that will add a boost for the Falcons moving forward along another new addition in Leonard Floyd, who Atlanta also signed this week in free agency. Both Fox and Floyd will be trying to make up for the loss of Pro Bowl defensive lineman Grady Jarrett.

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Corey Ballentine Mar 14 10:20pm ET
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Former New York Jets tight end Kenny Yeboah signed an undisclosed one-year deal with the Detroit Lions on Friday, according to the Detroit Free Press' Dave Birkett. Yeboah heads to the NFC after spending the first four years of his career with the Jets, where he posted only nine receptions on 15 targets for 111 yards and one touchdown in 33 games played (two starts). The 26-year-old originally went undrafted out of Mississippi before joining the Jets for his rookie year in 2021. As things currently stand early in the offseason, Yeboah is third on the Lions' tight end depth chart behind Sam LaPorta and Brock Wright. Yeboah's best season did come last year in which he caught five of eight targets for 47 yards and his first career touchdown, but he will most likely continue to work as a special-teamer in 2025 in his new home in Detroit.

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Brandin Echols Mar 14 10:10pm ET
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