36-year-old Kirk Cousins is not expected to be the next major quarterback domino to fall this offseason, despite ongoing speculation surrounding his future.
After a rocky 2024 season with the Atlanta Falcons, where Cousins was benched for Michael Penix Jr. late in the year, the team is reportedly prepared to keep the four-time Pro Bowler as an expensive backup for 2025.
However, some teams could still pursue him for a trade.
Cousins, who signed a four-year, $180 million deal with the Falcons, holds a full no-trade clause, which gives him significant leverage in the situation.
According to TheMMQB’s Albert Breer, Cousins is likely to block any trade made before the NFL Draft.
Last year, Cousins was benched after the Falcons selected Penix with the No. 8 overall pick, which clearly impacted his decision-making.
“Rather than taking anyone’s word for it, Cousins has already signaled to teams that he would likely want to wait to see what happens over draft weekend before accepting a trade,” Breer stated.
“In a way, that should also work for the teams, allowing them to go through a full draft process – and make decisions on guys such as Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and Ole Miss’s Jaxson Dart independent of Cousins’s destination.”
Cousins is reportedly keen on avoiding a situation where he is traded to a team that ends up drafting another quarterback in the first round.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter shared his thoughts on Cousins’ likely course of action, mentioning a possible reunion with the Minnesota Vikings.
“He’s not going to make the same mistake again and sign off on going to a team and see that team then go draft Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders,” Schefter said on his podcast.
Insiders, including Breer, suggest a team like the Cleveland Browns could show interest in Cousins.
Breer also identified the Pittsburgh Steelers as a potential landing spot for Cousins if they somehow fail to land Aaron Rodgers.
While Cousins may not approve any trade in the coming weeks, Breer mentioned that his camp would be “amenable” to discussing a potential move ahead of the draft – under the condition that the acquiring team doesn’t select a quarterback in the first round.
“Of course, that would require working the money and compensation out ahead of time, and a lot can happen between now and the end of April. So, there are a ton of moving parts here,” Breer added, acknowledging the fluidity of the situation and the many variables that could impact any trade discussions.
What are your thoughts on Cousins’ situation? … Do you think he will end up being traded???
