Kirk Cousins

Draft Notes: Jets, Panthers, Warren, Cousins

April 24th, 2025 at 6:53pm CST by Adam La Rose

Set to select seventh overall, the Jets sit in an interesting position as things stand. A number of options will be available to the new regime of Darren Mougey and Aaron Glenn, many of which have already been mentioned.

Another one has emerged as the countdown to the first round nears its end. SNY’s Connor Hughes reports receiver Tetairoa McMillan has specifically been named as a potential target. The Arizona product has seen his stock shift over the course of the pre-draft process, but hearing his name called early tonight remains a distinct possibility.

Glenn has been reported to be pushing a defensive addition on Day 1, but Hughes notes the selection of an offensive lineman or a skill-position player remains the focus of attention around the team. Right tackle represents a need, while selecting a receiver or tight end would add to an offense which has undergone plenty of changes this offseason. If McMillan is on the board at No. 7, it will be interesting to see how the team proceeds. A pursuit of running back Ashton Jeanty – the subject of trade-up efforts by the Bears – meanwhile, should not be expected, ESPN’s Rich Cimini adds.

Here are some other last-minute draft notes:

For now, at least, the Panthers are scheduled to select after the Jets. Trading down has long loomed as a possibility for general manager Dan Morgan, and that remains the case at this point. If Carolina stays at No. 8, The Athletic’s Joe Person reports Jalon Walker is still the “presumed pick” as things stand. That comes as no surprise given the long-running links to the Georgia linebacker/edge rusher. Otherwise, Person names Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham as an option, along with McMillan if the team is moved toward an offensive addition.
Tyler Warren is considered one of two first-round locks at the tight end spot. He is a strong candidate to be drafted in the top 10 as a result, but teams outside that range are interested as well. The Colts are among them, per Hughes. That comes as no surprise, given the constant connections made between Indianapolis and the team targeting a TE move with Warren or Michigan’s Colston Loveland. The Colts own pick No. 14, so a trade up the board would be required for Warren in particular.
Moves up and down the order have reportedly received consideration in the case of the Broncos. The latest update on that front comes from Person’s colleague Dianna Russini, who reports Denver is looking to trade up from No. 20. A running back or other skill-position player could be the target of such a move, depending on where in the order the team lands. Since the Broncos own the pick one spot before the Steelers (a potential QB landing spot), they will remain a team to watch closely in any event.
How things shake out at the quarterback position will be key as it pertains to Kirk Cousins. The veteran looms as an option for teams which are unable to select a rookie this weekend as he seeks a fresh start and starting opportunity. Underdog Fantasy’s James Palmer reports Cousins could waive his no-trade clause as early as tomorrow based on the QB landscape at that point. Day 2 looms as a time when many teams could add signal-callers, however, and Palmer adds a more likely scenario would be for the one-year Falcons passer to wait until after the first three rounds take place to decide on how he wants to proceed. Cousins, 36, wants to avoid a repeat of how Atlanta operated last offseason but by the end of the draft there could of course be few (if any) suitors left in need of a short-term addition under center.

Browns, Steelers, Vikings Linked To Kirk Cousins; Saints In Mix For Falcons QB?

April 23rd, 2025 at 11:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although Shedeur Sanders probably enters the draft with the most compelling storyline, a player who came off the board on Day 3 13 years ago is pushing for a front-row spot. The Kirk Cousins situation remains foggy, even after the demoted Falcons quarterback reported on time for his team’s offseason program.

Cousins is still eyeing a way out of Atlanta, and teams continue to come up as interested parties. Even after their Joe Flacco addition — one that came after Cousins consideration — the Browns are being mentioned as a candidate to add Cousins. So are the Steelers and Vikings, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. How teams proceed in the draft will obviously play a central role in Cousins’ willingness to sign off on a trade, as he is not planning to waive his no-trade clause before the draft — in an effort to avoid a redux of his 2024 storyline.

Of the above-referenced trio, Russini points to the Vikings being the least likely to add Cousins — in what would be a quick reunion — due to J.J. McCarthy‘s presence. With McCarthy’s path to the Minnesota starting job clear enough the team has brushed off Aaron Rodgers, it would be understandable if Cousins — his production under Kevin O’Connell notwithstanding — would be leery of landing there again. Cousins would be against a trade that sends him to a team with a starter-level young passer, Russini adds. Considering the teams in this mix, that might be a difficult play.

Employing ex-Cousins Vikings OC Kevin Stefanski, the Browns are candidates to circle back to address their QB situation after making their first-round pick (likely Travis Hunter). The Giants, Saints, Rams and Dolphins join the Steelers in being linked to early-round QB investments. Cleveland already signing Flacco and adding Kenny Pickett via trade would stand to block a Cousins path — if a rookie is tabbed, at least. If the Browns somehow leave this draft without a QB, they could be in play to reunite Cousins and Stefanski, where a Flacco competition would stand to be on tap.

As odd as it would be to see the Falcons send their high-priced backup to their top rival, the Saints should also be considered on the Cousins radar, Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline writes. Falcons GM Terry Fontenot came from the Saints, and Pauline adds the Falcons would consider dealing Cousins to any team willing to pay a sizable chunk of the QB’s 2025 money. Cousins’ 2025 base salary ($27.5MM) is guaranteed, giving the Falcons no incentive to move on without someone taking on part of the salary. We heard earlier this offseason that Atlanta wanted an acquiring team to pay at least $20MM of Cousins’ tab. That has seemed highly unlikely to occur.

Donovan McNabb and Drew Bledsoe were traded within their divisions this century, creating a precedent for Fontenot and Co. The Saints, however, want to leave this draft with a quarterback. Mickey Loomis evaded Derek Carr questions at his pre-draft presser today, further muddying this situation, one that has the veteran starter in danger of missing some (or all) of the 2025 season due to a shoulder injury. New Orleans has done extensive work on prospects but is viewed as less likely to spend its No. 9 overall pick on the position. This would send them into a battle royal of sorts with the lot of teams eyeing this draft’s second wave of passers.

The Steelers could be the spot teams eyeing a trade-up maneuver to target, though they are not certain to use their first-rounder (No. 21) on a QB, either. Mike Tomlin has said Mason Rudolph would be an acceptable starter, but Pittsburgh — recent doubts aside — is still pursuing Rodgers. It had been expected around the league, per Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz, the Steelers would have an answer from the future Hall of Famer by the draft. With that not happening, the Steelers need to cover their bases. On that note, they have also done work on potential Day 3 options in Syracuse’s Kyle McCord and his Ohio State successor (Will Howard), per ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler.

More notably, Fowler adds the Steelers want to take a QB swing in one of the next two drafts. That could create the illusion of flexibility, though if Rodgers does not show in Pittsburgh, Rudolph would move to the front of the line if the Steelers do not make a first- or second-day addition. Cousins, then, would become insurance against Rodgers balking at a longstanding Pittsburgh offer. Would the Steelers make a preemptive play for the Falcons backup if they lose patience with Rodgers?

Offering a final wrinkle here, Schultz adds Arthur Blank could also opt to keep Cousins (after presumably not seeing other teams agree to take on much salary). Several sources inform Schultz that Cousins could be effectively held hostage (a well-paid hostage, but still) as Michael Penix Jr.‘s backup. Considering Penix’s injury past, the Falcons considering Fontenot’s previous decree to retain Cousins as QB2 has some merit.

This would drain a year from Cousins’ career, his age-37 season, while giving the Falcons insurance ahead of a smoother 2026 release. It would stand to reason we still have plenty of Cousins updates to come between now and this potential reality.

Kirk Cousins Surprises Some Among Falcons By Reporting For Offseason Program

April 23rd, 2025 at 10:43am CST by Sam Robinson

APRIL 23: Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said that Cousins’ attendance at start of the team’s voluntary offseason workout program “wasn’t a surprise,” per D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He also described reports of the Falcons asking teams to take on $20MM of the veteran QB’s 2025 salary as “not accurate,” per Ledbetter.

APRIL 22: Although Kirk Cousins attempted to convince owner Arthur Blank to release him back in March, the demoted quarterback has not necessarily become a malcontent in Atlanta. He reported for the start of voluntary offseason workouts today, WSB’s Zach Klein reports.

This act surprised some in the building, per NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo. This comes during an interesting stretch, as Cousins is not open to waiving his no-trade clause until after the draft. The quarterback that brought a tampering penalty for the Falcons last year still wields some power, via the clause, and he is aiming to avoid repeating a situation like the one that defined his 2024 in Atlanta.

Surprise Falcons first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. reshaped Cousins’ Falcons path weeks after he signed, and the QB will have more information about the position’s landscape after the likes of Shedeur Sanders, Jaxson Dart, Tyler Shough and Jalen Milroe are dispersed to teams. Though, Cousins also runs the risk of seeing the a starter route close after the draft; Aaron Rodgers‘ decision (as it relates to the Steelers) also stands to impact Cousins’ options.

A recent report suggested the Falcons were not interested in a Day 3 pick for Cousins. The team’s party line has remained a Penix-Cousins depth chart remains firmly in play, even as many around the league have doubted that. The Falcons added some QB insurance Monday night by signing Easton Stick. The ex-Chargers backup, though, profiles as a more likely third-string option for Atlanta. If the team does have a Cousins trade in the offing, a new backup would likely be needed — especially considering Penix’s injury history.

Injuries marring four Penix seasons at Indiana will assuredly factor into the Falcons’ thinking with Cousins. The Falcons have set an unrealistic salary demand regarding a Cousins swap, with multiple reports pointing to the team asking an acquiring club to take on at least $20MM of Cousins’ 2025 money. Cousins’ 2026 $10MM guarantee is also subject to offset language, which would stick the acquiring team with that tab as well. Anything in the vicinity of $20MM in 2025 is likely a nonstarter for teams, and it may have contributed to the Browns choosing to reunite with Joe Flacco.

For now, Cousins remains on Atlanta’s roster. It would be odd if Cousins showed for Falcons OTAs, as QBs on the way out — or suspected to be on the way out, as the 2022 Jimmy Garoppolo situation reminded — are rarely part of such workouts. But he was in the building for the start of the team’s program. How the QB dominoes fall this weekend will set the stage for Falcons trade talks to intensify.

Falcons Unlikely To Take Day 3 Pick For Kirk Cousins

April 21st, 2025 at 12:22pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

APRIL 21: The Falcons are aiming for an acquiring team to take on $20MM of Cousins’ remaining guarantees, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. To no surprise, he adds that asking price has not been met and is not expected to at any point this offseason. A more realistic figure could be closer to $10MM, he adds, but of course the willingness of a team to absorb compensation will affect the trade price in terms of draft capital. With Day 3 selections insufficient to work out an agreement, it will be interesting to see if movement occurs on this front in the coming days.

APRIL 19: Kirk Cousins has made it clear that he wants out of Atlanta, but the Falcons aren’t letting him go without some compensation after giving him $90MM in fully-guaranteed money last offseason.

Cousins’ situation has been the subject of much scrutiny this offseason, and he and the team are at odds over the best resolution. Cousins, who has a no-trade clause, would prefer to be released; the Falcons would rather trade him to recoup some draft capital and shed as much of his $27.5MM salary as possible.

A post-draft trade has always made the most sense. Cousins doesn’t want a repeat of the 2024 season with a highly-drafted rookie quarterback breathing down his neck, and a post-June 1 trade would allow Atlanta to spread the dead money across two years.

However, recent comments from Falcons owner Arthur Blank indicate that facilitating a trade won’t be as simple as the team accepting an offer and Cousins waiving his no-trade clause.

“Kirk understands his situation. He understands our own situation. He understands we’ve committed a lot of funds to him,” Blank said at league meetings earlier this month (via CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones). That reflects the Falcons’ primary desire to get Cousins’ salary off the books. If they have to absorb most of his 2025 salary, they’ll need more than just a Day 3 pick to facilitate a deal.

“I told (Cousins) that we will be as thoughtful and sensitive to him as we can be,” continued Blank, “but we have a responsibility to the franchise — which we do.”

But Cousins has a responsibility to himself and his family, too. On the football side, he wants to start without the threat of being replaced during the season. On the personal side, he has two elementary school-aged children who moved three times last year, which will be a “huge consideration” for Cousins to permit a trade later in the year, according to Jones.

This sets up a precarious timeline for the Falcons. It’s hard to see them getting their desired cap relief or draft compensation in a trade unless another team suddenly has a need for a quarterback, which is unlikely to arise until closer to the season when more injuries occur. But if Cousins’ children start another year of school in Atlanta, he may be less inclined to waive his no-trade clause unless he lands in the perfect situation.

Whether or not the Falcons are able to move Cousins, they’re still expected to sign a cheap veteran passer in the coming months, according to Jones. That QB would serve as additional depth during training camp and potentially replace Cousins as Michael Penix‘s backup this season.

Browns Viewed Joe Flacco Similarly To Kirk Cousins

April 15th, 2025 at 10:23am CST by Adam La Rose

The Browns appeared to be on track to enter the draft with Kenny Pickett as their starting quarterback until a Joe Flacco reunion was worked out. Adding the latter to the fold has greatly lessened the chances of a Kirk Cousins trade taking place with respect to Cleveland.

With the Falcons open to dealing Cousins under the right circumstances, the Browns have long been considered a logical landing spot. Head coach Kevin Stefanski worked with him in Minnesota, and that familiarity could help provide the team with a short-term upgrade under center. In the event of a release, Cousins would have been available at a highly reduced rate (like Russell Wilson with the Steelers last year), but it is clear a post-draft trade is a likelier outcome.

On that point, the Falcons have set a high asking price in terms of how much of Cousins’ money they want an acquiring team to take on. The four-time Pro Bowler is owed a $27.5MM base salary for next season, and a $10MM roster bonus for 2026 has already become fully guaranteed. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer confirms Atlanta is not willing to spend much in the way of absorbing compensation on Cousins’ deal to facilitate a trade.

That reality helps explain Cleveland’s Flacco re-acquisition. Breer adds the Browns viewed the 40-year-old in a similar fashion to Cousins, who is four years younger. The latter enjoyed a relatively strong start to his Falcons career last season, but a turnover-filled run (which included battling ailments other than his 2023 Achilles tear) led to Michael Penix Jr. taking over QB1 duties. The eighth pick in last year’s draft is now set to handle the starting gig moving forward, but the Falcons have repeatedly expressed a willingness to keep Cousins in place as an expensive backup.

The Browns gave Flacco $4MM in base compensation, with incentives maxing out at $13MM. More realistically, the former Super Bowl MVP’s earning potential sits between $6MM and $8MM based on his playing time and Cleveland’s regular season success. As Breer notes, those figures illustrate the lengths to which Cleveland would have been willing to go for Cousins. Especially if the Browns add a rookie passer next week, a deal for Cousins (who aims to waive his no-trade clause after the draft) will surely be off the table.

In that case, the number of Cousins suitors would dwindle even further. Breer names the Steelers as a potential landing spot given their need for a starting-caliber veteran. The Aaron Rodgers wait continues, but if he were to retire or sign elsewhere Cousins would loom as a feasible trade candidate. It remains to be seen, though, how willing the Falcons will be to entertain offers on that front.

Latest On Falcons, Kirk Cousins; QB Still Prefers To Be Released

April 3rd, 2025 at 7:40pm CST by Adam La Rose

Kirk Cousins is known to be on the trade block, with the Falcons confirming this week their willingness to work out a deal under the right circumstances. Of course, finances will play a major role in determining if an acceptable agreement can be reached.

Cousins has already seen his $10MM roster bonus vest for the 2026 season, but at issue in ongoing trade discussions is his scheduled $27.5MM base salary for next year. An acquiring team would take on a portion of that compensation as the Falcons aim to move forward with Michael Penix Jr. atop the depth chart. Atlanta has set the bar rather high with respect to the financial responsibility of Cousins’ next team, though.

Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post reports the Falcons are “insisting” on the acquiring team in a Cousins swap taking on between $20MM and $25MM of what he is owed for 2025. To little surprise, he adds that demand has stalled talks on a deal to date. Owner Arthur Blank is seen as the driving force behind the team’s stance on this front, and with the draft approaching and the list of teams in need of a veteran QB addition thinned out it will be interesting to see if it changes in the near future.

Cousins appeared to be set up for at least a two-year stint as Atlanta’s starter when he signed in free agency last spring. The Falcons’ decision to the draft Penix eighth overall immediately led to speculation about a parting of ways for Cousins, and that has emerged as a possibility this offseason. The 36-year-old has let the team know his desire to be released, but even doing so with a post-June 1 designation would result in a $50MM dead cap charge. A trade thus represents a more suitable path, but Cousins does not want to waive his no-trade clause until after the draft to avoid a repeat of last year’s situation.

A third-round pick has been mentioned as compensation in a potential Cousins trade, but teams will of course not be willing to part with notable capital in addition to taking on the majority of his base pay for next year. The possibility remains that the four-time Pro Bowler will stay in place and operate as a highly expensive backup behind Penix. Head coach Raheem Morris confirmed at the league meetings (via NFL.com) Atlanta remains on board with such a scenario in the event a trade cannot be worked out.

Of the few realistic suitors for the four-time Pro Bowler, the Browns have often been mentioned as the top one to watch. Kenny Pickett was acquired via trade last month, and at the moment he is in position to lead a QB depth chart which features an injured Deshaun Watson. Cleveland aims to move forward from the ill-fated Watson acquisition, something which could include a draft investment as early as the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft or a short-term move such as reuniting Cousins with former Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski.

As noted by D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution during an appearance on 92.3 The Fan, the Browns are not in a position to trade for Cousins and take on some (perhaps most) of his remaining contract. In the unlikely event a release were to take place (something Ledbetter confirms is still his preference), Cleveland would presumably show interest in a low-cost deal given the offset language in Cousins’ contract. Considering Atlanta’s apparent asking price in a swap, though, it would come as a surprise if serious traction toward an agreement with the Browns or any other suitor were to be gained in the near future.

Raheem Morris: Falcons Open To Trading Kirk Cousins

April 2nd, 2025 at 8:30pm CST by Adam La Rose

TODAY, 8:30pm: Owner Arthur Blank echoed Morris’s statements, telling Josh Kendall of The Athletic that the Falcons will listen to offers on Cousins on their terms.

“At the end of the day, what happens happens, maybe something pre-draft, draft, post-draft, I don’t know,” Blank said, “but [Cousins] understands what our needs are and what we have to do as a franchise.”

YESTERDAY, 9am: Much of the discussion related to the Falcons’ offseason revolves around Kirk Cousins‘ future. The team has repeatedly stated a willingness to keep the Pro Bowl quarterback in place as a backup, but head coach Raheem Morris left the door open to a parting of ways on Monday.

Cousins has made it clear he wants a change of scenery after one year in Atlanta. The 36-year-old old inked a four-year deal to join the Falcons last offseason, but he was benched late in the year in favor of first-round rookie Michael Penix Jr. The latter is set to handle starting duties moving forward, but Atlanta’s decision to keep Cousins in the fold past the vesting date of his $10MM 2026 roster bonus helped confirm he will not be released.

That leaves a trade as a possibility, although Cousins will not waive his no-trade clause until after the draft takes place later this month. Doing so will help him avoid a repeat of last year’s situation (where he was caught off guard by the decision to draft Penix), but it could limit the number of suitors in play to acquire him. When speaking about the Cousins situation on Tuesday, Morris noted the team would be on board with dealing him under the right circumstances.

“There’s definitely a human side when you want to see him go out and be the best version of himself,” Morris said (via Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams). “This is not a thing where we’re holding you back if the opportunity presents itself. If it’s something that’s good for both of us — it’s good for the Falcons and Kirk Cousins — we certainly would like to see that happen.”

Finances will be a challenge to work out between Atlanta and an acquiring team. Cousins is owed $27.5MM next season, and offset language in his pact means the Falcons could pass on at least some of that figure (along with the $10MM locked in for next season) to his new team. Especially after the draft has taken place, though, most NFL teams will have their 2025 starter in the fold. That will limit the Falcons’ opportunities to swing a deal. If retaining funds winds up being required to pull of a trade, Josh Kendall of The Athletic predicts the team will be willing to do so (subscription required).

The Browns have frequently been named as a team to watch on the Cousins front, given the presence of a familiar face in head coach Kevin Stefanski. A recent report noted a strong push to acquire the former Viking should not be expected at this time, however. As Kendall’s colleague Dianna Russini notes, though, a Cousins-to-Cleveland move would not come as a surprise given the ongoing discourse around the subject (video link). Barring another veteran acquisition under center, the Browns will remain a potential suitor worth monitoring.

To no surprise, Morris added in his remarks that he does not expect Cousins to attend voluntary OTAs. That has been expected on the team’s part, Underdog Fantasy’s James Palmer confirms. A holdout later in the offseason when mandatory minicamp and/or training camp take place would of course be more notable, provided Cousins is still on the Falcons’ roster in the summer. If an appropriate arrangement can be made regarding a trade, though, that may not be the case.

Browns Were Not Interested In Long-Term Russell Wilson Commitment; Latest On Team’s QB Plans

March 30th, 2025 at 10:19pm CST by Adam La Rose

Russell Wilson‘s 2025 free agent process ended with a Giants deal. The Super Bowl winner sees himself as the team’s starter, and he could very well wind up atop the depth chart if New York does not use a high draft pick on a passer in April.

Wilson also visited the Browns earlier this month, opening the door to a Cleveland agreement. That did not seem as likely as a Giants pact, though, so Wilson’s ultimate decision came as little surprise. A one-year commitment to the 36-year-old could very well produce a run of starts and another deal being worked out next offseason in New York’s case.

While the Browns also themselves in need of a long-term solution under center, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com writes they viewed Wilson strictly as a bridge option. As a result, negotiations on a contract did not last particularly long, with the longtime Seahawk preferring an option where he would not face as much competition for a starting gig. New York had already added Jameis Winston on a two-year pact, and the team could draft a quarterback at some point next month; nevertheless, Wilson is currently on track to handle QB1 duties at this point.

Cleveland has Deshaun Watson on the books for two more years, but his second Achilles tear leaves him in danger of missing most or all of the 2025 campaign. That leaves trade acquisition Kenny Pickett in place to compete for the starting role this offseason. The top QB selected in the 2022 draft, Pickett’s Steelers tenure did not go as planned and it ended with a trade to the Eagles last spring. The 26-year-old is now in place with the Browns, a team which could be in the market for at least one other passer.

Cleveland has long been connected to trading for Kirk Cousins, but Cabot adds a deal on that front can be considered unlikely at this point. The Falcons passer wants to avoid a repeat of last year’s situation by waiting until after the draft to be dealt, although it remains to be seen if Atlanta will be on board with such a move and if financial arrangements related to the remainder of his contract can be made with an acquiring team. Free agents like Joe Flacco and Carson Wentz have been linked to the Browns, but again Cabot cautions nothing is currently imminent on that front.

Set to select second overall in April’s draft, Cleveland will likely have the opportunity to select any prospect other than Cam Ward. The team was recently reported to be high on Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter, but other options will be considered as well. The Browns have hosted Tyler Shough on a top-30 visit, and he is among the quarterbacks who could find themselves in Cleveland next season. For now, at least, Pickett is in position to receive the chance to handle QB1 duties, something he sees himself as capable of managing on his new team.

Kirk Cousins Seeking Post-Draft Trade

March 29th, 2025 at 4:52pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

MARCH 29: Had Cousins been released, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports notes he still would not have signed with a suitor such as the Browns prior to the draft (video link). Cleveland will continue to be linked to a deal later this offseason, but that could very well change if the team adds a signal-caller early in April. Such a scenario would further limit the number of feasible Cousins suitors.

MARCH 24: After a failed attempt to be released ahead of free agency, Kirk Cousins is now in no rush to force a move out of Atlanta. He is planning to wait until after the draft before waiving his no-trade clause to facilitate a deal, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.

The Falcons held onto Cousins long enough for $10MM of his 2026 salary to vest into a full guarantee and have signaled their willingness to keep him as an expensive backup this season. He would prefer to find a starting job elsewhere, though he’s wary of a repeat of last year’s situation in Atlanta. The Falcons signed Cousins to a four-year, $160MM deal in March and drafted Michael Penix with the eighth overall pick six weeks later. That put pressure on the 13-year veteran to live up to his contract while making it clear that he was not the team’s long-term quarterback.

When Cousins hit a patch of rough play in December, the Falcons benched him for Penix, effectively ending the 36-year-old’s tenure in Atlanta after 14 games. In 2025, he doesn’t want a highly drafted rookie breathing down his neck. That would be a risk with his two most likely suitors, the Browns and the Giants, who hold the second and third overall picks in April’s draft. After years of instability under center, both teams have been repeatedly linked with the draft’s top two quarterbacks, Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders.

Cousins’ willingness to wait on a trade should work for his potential suitors. The Browns and the Giants can do their due diligence on Ward, Sanders, and even Jaxson Dart and let the draft play out. The Steelers are considered a “safe bet” to land Aaron Rodgers, but if that doesn’t work out, they could inquire about Cousins, according to Breer. However, Pittsburgh may want to see if a top quarterback falls within range of a trade up from the 21st overall pick.

Cousins would only waive his no-trade clause prior to the draft if his new team commits to not using a first-round pick on quarterback, according to Breer. That condition may not be amenable to front offices in Cleveland and New York that are looking for a long-term franchise quarterback.

It’s possible that the Browns look at a talented roster besieged by injuries last year and decide that trading for Cousins and using the No. 3 pick on an impact receiver or edge rusher is enough to compete in the AFC North. That doesn’t seem likely for the Giants, who have more holes to fill on their roster. They have also signaled a desire to add another veteran and draft a quarterback in the first round, even after signing Jameis Winston.

Cousins’ approach does involve some risk. If the Browns, Giants, and Steelers all solidify their quarterback situations by the end of the draft, he may be left without any suitors headed into the summer. That would leave him stuck in Atlanta as Penix’s backup with a $27.5MM salary that could be a barrier to a trade.

The Falcons would already be absorbing $37.5MM in dead cap space ($12.5MM in 2025 and $25MM in 2026) if they moved Cousins. Eating some or all of his 2025 salary would push their costs to $90MM for just one year and 14 starts from Cousins, a position Falcons owner Arthur Blank would prefer to avoid, according to Breer.

That will, of course, impact how much draft compensation teams will give up to acquire Cousins. A trade out of Atlanta to a team with a starting job available remains his desired outcome, but it seems other dominoes will have to fall first.

Falcons’ Kirk Cousins Drawing Trade Interest?

March 21st, 2025 at 10:38am CST by Adam La Rose

A shortlist of veteran free agents remain at the quarterback position, but one potential trade option looms for teams still in need of a signal-caller. Kirk Cousins remains in place with the Falcons, although a deal sending him elsewhere remains a talking point around the league.

Atlanta is prepared to move forward with Michael Penix Jr. atop the depth chart after the 2024 first-rounder took over from Cousins as starter late last season. The latter’s Achilles injury healed as planned, but he dealt with other ailments while playing through a downturn in production prior to his benching. A Cousins release has long been predicted based on the Falcons’ plan under center, and the 36-year-old would welcome it. At multiple points this offseason, however, the team has indicated a willingness to keep Cousins in place as an expensive backup.

Around the Combine, trade talks were not believed to be taking place; with Atlanta clearly not proceeding with a release, though, that appears to be changing. The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson reports Cousins is now being discussed as a potential trade target. She adds the Falcons have received calls about the four-time Pro Bowler, with a third-round pick being floated as part of a potential compensation package. Cousins has a no-trade clause, but his desire to play elsewhere in 2025 has been made clear to ownership.

A $27.5MM base salary for 2025 would be a large figure for an acquiring team to absorb, to say nothing of the $10MM 2026 roster bonus which recently became locked in. Offset language in Cousins’ contract means Atlanta would see some financial relief in the event the team proceeded with a release (with his new team then signing him to a pact at or near the league minimum). The decision to keep the former Washington and Minnesota starter in the fold this long marked another indication he will not be cut, however.

The report does not name interested parties, but it is not difficult to identify which teams could be in the market for acquiring Cousins via trade. The Browns have already swung a trade for Kenny Pickett, but they are known to still be in the market for a veteran quarterback. Ties to Cousins (based on his history with Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski) have been made, although the team is not in position to take on a lucrative veteran deal with Deshaun Watson still on the books for another two years.

The Steelers, Giants, Vikings and Titans, meanwhile, are all on the lookout for a veteran addition under center (to varying degrees). Aaron Rodgers represents the next major domino to fall, with Russell Wilson, Joe Flacco, Jameis Winston and Carson Wentz the names to watch closely once his future becomes clear. Tennessee has been linked to moving on from Will Levis and potentially replacing him with Cam Ward in next month’s draft. Considering Mason Rudolph departed in free agency, the Titans could use a veteran, although adding Cousins would come as a surprise in their case.

No movement on the Cousins front will be possible unless the team’s stance on retaining him changes and his desire to move on yields a willingness to waive his no-trade clause. With new interest being shown, though, it will be interesting to see if anything tangibly changes in this situation.

Load More Posts