Kirk Cousins ​​injury update from Atlanta Falcons coach Raheem Morris

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons took to the outdoor practice field Friday without veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins ​​​​— but if he had been invited, he would have been there.

Atlanta began its rookie minicamp in Flowery Branch, where 39 players – 13 tries,
nine undrafted free agents, eight rookies, eight free agents from the 2023 draft class and Kenny Oginni, the team’s international player selection – donned their jerseys at the IBM Performance Center.

Cousins, nearly an hour after the session ended, walked across the field, flanked by tight end Kyle Pitts and receiver Drake London. The 35-year-old signal-caller, now more than six months into surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles, is no stranger to the siege in Atlanta.

Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said Friday that Cousins ​​has actively participated in the team’s practices.

“He’s been out there hard,” Morris said. “We have him on a limited basis because he’s still in rehab and treatment, but he’ll do a lot of things when we get him because we still won’t have a lot in the pocket.

“Most of those things are jogging duties in the offseason programs, so he’s fully involved in those kinds of things.”

The story surrounding Atlanta’s quarterbacks has changed in recent weeks, from Cousins’ four-year, $180 million contract to the selection of Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8 overall.

And while Penix’s left arm stole the show during the on-field portion of rookie minicamp, Cousins’ recovery remains paramount to the Falcons’ hopes of ending a six-year playoff drought this fall .

So far, all the signs around Cousins ​​are positive – and trending upward.

“Kirk is getting better every day,” Morris said. “We’re at the point where he’s doing everything we can do at this point in Phase 2, which is no one around him, no contact, everything is fine. He’s done all those things, he’s spear.”

Rookie minicamp will run from May 10-12, leading up to the start of OTAs on May 13. Cousins ​​is expected to be a part of the first-team offense when Atlanta begins its next phase, although he will face a minor restriction in his workload when he takes the field.

“We will limit what he does as far as the amount, not necessarily what he does as far as what we are and what we are capable of doing right now,” Morris said. “It’s not like training camp, where I’m afraid people will be at his feet, because the pace is a lot slower.

“We’re really happy with where he’s at right now.”

The Falcons have already answered all the quarterback questions: Cousins, when healthy, will be the starter. And as things stand, his Achilles recovery appears to be in a good position to enter OTAs.