With Michael Penix Jr. being a young quarterback thrust into an entire season at the helm this fall, the Atlanta Falcons may rely on former All-Pro Matt Ryan to serve as a mentor.

The new-look Jets cut quarterback Aaron Rodgers and wide receiver Davante Adams and handed Justin Fields a two-year deal in free agency. An offense with Fields, Garrett Wilson, Breece Hall and Allen Lazard has promise, but adding a player like Kyle Pitts could take this offense to another level.

The Atlanta Falcons don't expect Kirk Cousins at voluntary workouts this offseason, and they're open to trading the quarterback despite previous indications they planned to keep the demoted veteran as a backup.

It’s the conundrum the Falcons find themselves in this offseason after the team named Michael Penix Jr. their starting quarterback last December, just 14 games into Cousins's four-year, $180 million contract. The Falcons are moving forward with Penix as their starter. Meanwhile, Cousins has expressed his desire for a starting opportunity.

The Atlanta Falcons made one of the more unexpected decisions last offseason when they handed Kirk Cousins a four-year, $180 million deal while he was recovering from injury. At the time, it raised eyebrows,

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins was once favored to land with the Cleveland Browns. Now, the Browns no longer seem to be a viable option.

And there's been no movement in his position since Falcons coach Raheem Morris spoke with reporters at the end of the season, at the NFL combine and again at the annual league meetings: Publicly, Atlanta is comfortable -- if not growing more appealed -- to the idea of Cousins serving as Michael Penix Jr.'s backup quarterback.

Falcons coach Raheem Morris said backup QB Kirk Cousins has made him and others aware he would like to be a starter, leading to the thought that Cousins would be very willing to waive his no-trade clause. Morris said they have not reached a point where those discussions have…