Kirk Cousins

Atlanta Falcons, Quarterback

2024-2027 Free Agent (CURRENT)

Year	Age	Cap HitAnnual	Cap % League Cap	Cash Annual	Cash Cumulative	Dead Cap Annual
2024	36	$25,000,000	9.79%	$62,522,768	$62,522,768	$90,000,000
2025	37	$40,000,000	14.33%	$27,500,000	$90,022,768	$75,000,000
POTENTIAL OUT: 2026, 2 YR, $90,022,768; $35,000,000 DEAD CAP
2026	38	$24,600,000	8.17%	$12,100,000	$102,122,768	$35,000,000
2027	39	$90,400,000	27.99%	$77,900,000	$180,022,768	$12,500,000
2028	40	UFA

Year	Age	Base P5 Salary	Signing Proration	Roster Bonus	Cap Hit	Cap % League	Dead Cap
2024	36	$12,500,000	$12,500,000	-	$25,000,000	9.79%	$90,000,000
2025	37	$27,500,000	$12,500,000	-	$40,000,000	14.33%	$75,000,000
POTENTIAL OUT: 2026, 2 YR, $90,022,768; $35,000,000 DEAD CAP
2026	38	$2,100,000	$12,500,000	$10,000,000	$24,600,000	8.17%	$35,000,000	2026 Release/Trade PRE-6/1 RELEASE Today → 03/13/2026 2026 Dead Cap: $35,000,000 2026 Cap Savings: $-10,400,000 03/13/2026 → 06/01/2026 2026 Dead Cap: $92,900,000 2026 Cap Savings: $-68,300,000 PRE-6/1 TRADE 2026 Dead Cap: $25,000,000 2026 Savings: $-400,000 What is a Pre-6/1 Release or Trade? When a player is released or traded before June 1st, all of the dead cap remaining on his contract (including any guaranteed salary) accelerates into the current year. JUNE 1ST DESIGNATION 2026 Dead Cap: $22,500,000 2027 Dead Cap: $12,500,000 2026 Savings: $2,100,000 What is a June 1st Designation? When a player is designated as a Post June 1st release, their full cap hit must remain on the books until 6/1, after which the dead cap is split across the current and following season. The player becomes a free agent immediately however. POST-6/1 RELEASE 2026 Dead Cap: $22,500,000 2027 Dead Cap: $12,500,000 2026 Savings: $2,100,000 POST-6/1 TRADE 2026 Dead Cap: $12,500,000 2027 Dead Cap: $12,500,000 2026 Savings: $12,100,000 What is a Post-6/1 Release or Trade? When a release or trade is processed after June 1st (including a Post June 1st Designation transaction), the remaining dead cap on the contract is allowed to split across the current year & the following year. Dead cap that is directly associated with the current year plus all future guaranteed salary remains as current year dead cap, while the remaining future year dead cap is allocated to the following season.
2027	39	$67,900,000	$12,500,000	$10,000,000	$90,400,000	27.99%	$12,500,000	2027 Release/Trade PRE-6/1 RELEASE Today → 03/13/2026 2027 Dead Cap: $12,500,000 2027 Cap Savings: $77,900,000 03/13/2026 → 06/01/2027 2027 Dead Cap: $80,400,000 2027 Cap Savings: $10,000,000 PRE-6/1 TRADE 2027 Dead Cap: $12,500,000 2027 Savings: $77,900,000 What is a Pre-6/1 Release or Trade? When a player is released or traded before June 1st, all of the dead cap remaining on his contract (including any guaranteed salary) accelerates into the current year. JUNE 1ST DESIGNATION 2027 Dead Cap: $12,500,000 2028 Dead Cap: $0 2027 Savings: $77,900,000 What is a June 1st Designation? When a player is designated as a Post June 1st release, their full cap hit must remain on the books until 6/1, after which the dead cap is split across the current and following season. The player becomes a free agent immediately however. POST-6/1 RELEASE 2027 Dead Cap: $12,500,000 2028 Dead Cap: $0 2027 Savings: $77,900,000 POST-6/1 TRADE 2027 Dead Cap: $12,500,000 2028 Dead Cap: $0 2027 Savings: $77,900,000 What is a Post-6/1 Release or Trade? When a release or trade is processed after June 1st (including a Post June 1st Designation transaction), the remaining dead cap on the contract is allowed to split across the current year & the following year. Dead cap that is directly associated with the current year plus all future guaranteed salary remains as current year dead cap, while the remaining future year dead cap is allocated to the following season.
2028	40	UFA

Year	Age	Base P5 Salary	Signing Bonus	Roster Bonus	Cash Total	Cash Cumulative	Cash Remaining
2024	36	$12,500,000	$50,000,000	-	$62,522,768	$62,522,768	$180,022,768
2025	37	$27,500,000	-	-	$27,500,000	$90,022,768	$117,500,000
POTENTIAL OUT: 2026, 2 YR, $90,022,768; $35,000,000 DEAD CAP
2026	38	$2,100,000	-	$10,000,000	$12,100,000	$102,122,768	$90,000,000
2027	39	$67,900,000	-	$10,000,000	$77,900,000	$180,022,768	$77,900,000

Contract Notes

$90M guaranteed at signing (signing bonus + 2024 salary + 2025 salary)
2026 Roster Bonus: $10M (fully guarantees the 5th league day of 2025 (injury guaranteed at signing)
2027 Roster Bonus: $10M (5th league day of 2027)
2026 Renegotiation
2026 salary reduced from $35 to $2.1M
2027 salary increased from $35M to $67.9M
2027 salary becomes fully guaranteed March 13, 2026
Full No Trade Clause
Annual Incentives
Super Bowl Win (50% snaps): $2M

Source: NFL contract specifics generally collected from verified reports.

Earnings Per Year

Year	Age	Status	Cash Total	Cash Cumulative
2012	24	Active	$862,688	$862,688
2013	25	Active	$480,000	$1,342,688
2014	26	Active	$570,000	$1,912,688
2015	27	Active	$824,007	$2,736,695
2016	28	Active / Franchise Tag	$19,953,000	$22,689,695
2017	29	Active / Franchise Tag	$23,950,935	$46,640,630
2018	30	Active	$26,000,000	$72,640,630
2019	31	Active	$28,000,000	$100,640,630
2020	32	Active	$40,028,856	$140,669,486
2021	33	Active	$21,000,000	$161,669,486
2022	34	Active	$40,000,000	$201,669,486
2023	35	Injured	$30,000,000	$231,669,486
2024	36	Active	$62,522,768	$294,192,254
2025	37	Active	$27,500,000	$321,692,254
Total			$321,692,254	$321,692,254
2026	38	Active	$12,100,000
2027	39	Active	$77,900,000
Total			$411,692,254

Earnings Per Team

Years	Base	Signing	Roster	Restructure	Option	Incentives	Cash Cumulative
6	$45,996,600	$472,688	-	-	-	$171,342	$46,640,630
6	$95,500,000	$58,000,000	$10,000,000	$20,500,000	$1,000,000	$28,856	$185,028,856
2	$40,000,000	$50,000,000	-	-	-	$22,768	$90,022,768

Year	Age	Base	Signing	Roster	Restructure	Workout	Incentives	Cash Total	Cash Cumulative
2012	24	$390,000	$472,688					$862,688	$862,688
2013	25	$480,000						$480,000	$1,342,688
2014	26	$570,000						$570,000	$1,912,688
2015	27	$660,000					$164,007	$824,007	$2,736,695
2016	28	$19,953,000						$19,953,000	$22,689,695
2017	29	$23,943,600					$7,335	$23,950,935	$46,640,630
2018	30	$22,500,000	$3,000,000			$500,000		$26,000,000	$72,640,630
2019	31	$27,500,000				$500,000		$28,000,000	$100,640,630
2020	32	$9,500,000	$30,000,000	$500,000			$28,856	$40,028,856	$140,669,486
2021	33	$21,000,000						$21,000,000	$161,669,486
2022	34	$5,000,000	$25,000,000		$10,000,000			$40,000,000	$201,669,486
2023	35	$10,000,000		$20,000,000				$30,000,000	$231,669,486
2024	36	$12,500,000	$50,000,000				$22,768	$62,522,768	$294,192,254
2025	37	$27,500,000						$27,500,000	$321,692,254
Total		$181,496,600	$108,472,688	$20,500,000	$10,000,000	$1,000,000	$222,966	$321,692,254	$321,692,254
2026	38	$2,100,000			$10,000,000			$12,100,000
2027	39	$67,900,000			$10,000,000			$77,900,000
Total		$251,496,600	$108,472,688	$20,500,000	$30,000,000	$1,000,000	$222,966	$411,692,254

Earnings Per Team

Years	Base	Signing	Roster	Restructure	Option	Incentives	Cash Cumulative
6	$45,996,600	$472,688	-	-	-	$171,342	$46,640,630
6	$95,500,000	$58,000,000	$10,000,000	$20,500,000	$1,000,000	$28,856	$185,028,856
2	$40,000,000	$50,000,000	-	-	-	$22,768	$90,022,768

Cap Hit

$24,600,000 / 69th

Cash Total

$12,100,000 / 217th

Contract Value

$180,000,000 / 16th

Contract Average

$45,000,000 / 16th

AAV% of Cap

17.62% / 15th

Signing Bonus

$50,000,000 / 6th

2-Year Cash

$90,022,768 / 9th

3-Year Cash

$102,122,768 / 20th

Total Guaranteed

$100,000,000 / 22nd

Guaranteed at Signing

$90,000,000 / 16th

Jan 06, 2026 Agreed to a restructured contract with Atlanta that reduces his 2026 salary from $35M to $2.1M, adding the $32.9M difference to his 2027 salary.
Mar 11, 2024 Signed a 4 year $180 million contract with Atlanta (ATL)
Mar 14, 2023 Converted a $20M roster bonus into signing bonus, adding 2 void years, clearing $16M of cap with Minnesota (MIN)
Mar 13, 2022 Signed a 1 year $35 million contract extension with Minnesota (MIN)
Mar 16, 2020 Signed a 2 year $66 million contract extension with Minnesota (MIN)
Mar 13, 2018 Signed to a 3 year $84 million contract with Minnesota (MIN)
Mar 13, 2017 Signed a 1 year $23.9 million franchise tag with Washington (WAS)
Mar 01, 2016 Signed a 1 year $19.953 million non-exclusive franchise tag for 2016
May 31, 2012 Signed a 4 year $2.57 million contract with Washington (WAS)
Apr 28, 2012 Drafted by Washington (WAS): Round 4 (#102 overall)