MARCH 20: SportsBoom’s Jason La Canfora echoes the sentiment that Cousins is in position to wait until deep into the spring to decide on his next move. A few more QB dominoes may need to fall before his latest NFL contract is in place.
MARCH 17: After attempting to force his way into free agency last offseason, Kirk Cousins finally got his wish last week. However, the veteran remains available after the first wave of signings and is still considering all of his options, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.
One of the best landing spots would have been Kansas City. The Chiefs needed a starter until Patrick Mahomes completes his recovery from last December’s ACL tear, so Cousins could have had guaranteed playing time on a contending team to start the year. A successful season under Andy Reid certainly would have boosted his stock into 2027.
The Chiefs, however, traded for Justin Fields to bridge the gap until Mahomes’ return. The Falcons similarly signed Tua Tagovailoa to battle Michael Penix Jr. for a starting job, and the Colts have Anthony Richardson and Riley Leonard behind Daniel Jones in the event he cannot recover from his Achilles tear by Week 1. No other team has an injured starter, though Cousins’ history with Sean McVay in Washington could make him a natural fit as Matt Stafford‘s backup in Los Angeles, especially with Gardner Minshew following Mike LaFleur to Arizona.
There are two starting jobs available, Breer notes, in Pittsburgh and Las Vegas. Both teams, though, are expected to go with different quarterbacks. The Steelers are poised to reunite Aaron Rodgers with new head coach Mike McCarthy, and Fernando Mendoza has been projected for the Raiders’ No. 1 overall pick since the regular season ended.
Cousins ending up in Pittsburgh would likely only happen if Rodgers retires, and he would probably have to win the job against Will Howard, Mason Rudolph, and potentially a rookie taken in April’s draft.
The Raiders may consider sitting Mendoza in his first year to continue his development, but quarterbacks drafted in the top-five picks typically start right away. The reigning Heisman winner will also turn 23 years old as a rookie and seems ready for the NFL after leading Indiana to a national championship. However, new head coach Klint Kubiak was the Vikings’ quarterbacks coach (2019-2020) and offensive coordinator (2021) for one of the best stretches of Cousins’ career and could see him as a valuable mentor and placeholder for Mendoza as he gets his pro footing.
Cousins could also wait, Breer adds. Other teams could have interest in Cousins if their quarterback situations were to suddenly change with an injury. This would remind of last year, when Cousins preferred to see how every team’s QB depth chart looked post-draft. But no trade commenced then. With the Falcons having cut the cord following an organizational overhaul, Cousins should have a lower-stakes free agency decision to make at some point this offseason.
Garoppolo signed?
weighing all options? he’s watching all options dry up just like Carr is. he’s not wanted by anyone and is only an emergency plan if all else fails.
I’d say there is a high probability of an emergency plan being needed by some team during the season. Cousins and Carr could fill the same role as Philip Rivers did for the Colts last season.
Yeah, lose every game they start…
Options? With an s?
QBs get hurt. Unless the right fit comes along he’s in a position to wait if he wants. Certainly doesn’t need the money.
In 2021, his OC was kubiak yeah, but his QB coach was Andrew Janocko. Janocko is now the Raiders OC. Kubiak is the HC. When he played under them he had 4,221 yds, 33 TDs and just 7 ints.
No team is calling unless there’s an injury to a starter…..
Unless or until another injury happens, he might as well wait it out & see if Tua & Penix get through the season.
I am a Falcons fan, but I feel like The Falcons failed Kirk Cousins systematically and the way former OC Zac Robinson called games were a huge part of that. Kirk does have his limitations obviously, but I think there are definitely a lot of the QB needy teams that could use his services. It’s not a starting gig right off the jump, but The Raiders are probably the best fit in that there are a lot worse QBs that Mendoza can learn under in Las Vegas, and can have start for him if he struggles.
I didn’t understand the Falcons moves, and as a Raiders fan, I have some excellent insight into dysfunction. Sign Cousins to a huge contract AND spend a high #1 on a late 1st round QB talent (I like him, but…).
If you spend big on a ‘win-now’ solution, you should draft for a ‘win-now’ solution.
The Raiders just make a ton of sense. Let him mentor Mendoza in a system that he had arguably one of if not his best pro season in. Start Cousins for a few weeks, let Mendoza see the NFL speed and all that up close and then if they feel he’s ready put him in as qb1 and cousins would be a fine backup.
The best thing for Mendoza would be to sit the whole season and learn behind a veteran
As a raider fan, your organization is gonna be investing a lot into him the Raiders cannot afford to throw him out there without him being 100% ready because if he comes out and fails, it’s going to set the Raiders back years at the quarterback position again
I don’t disagree at all, but as the article correctly mentioned, highly drafted qbs rarely sit at all now.
I wouldn’t break the bank, but otherwise I agree. As ancillary benefit, we get to see how we will screw it up in unanticipated ways.
Perfect backup for New England.
Jets should let him compete with Geno
Steelers like old washed up QB’S…..
If he’s serious about a title he’ll back up the Rams. I think Daniel Jones will be back on IR by week 10.
He needs to sign with the Steelers…. Create some drama and put the scare into the 43 yr old woman known as ms. Rodgers. The Steelers shouldn’t allow themselves to be held hostage by the indecisiveness of weather or she’s gonna play another season or not. Cousins is ready to go!! Come on Steelers make it happen!!!!
Sign Cousins to backup Will Howard? Sure. I’m all in on that. They really need to see what Howard has before next season. If Howard ain’t it, then it’s time to break this roster down and start fresh.
total of five playoff appearances .. one win .. money well spent