While it may not have originally been part of the plan all along, it is now. The Kirk Cousins situation continues to baffle the NFL and frustrate Dirty Bird Nation to no end. When the Atlanta Falcons signed Cousins in free agency last March they did so with the intention of him being their starting quarterback for at least two years. Well, he stunk down the stretch and Michael Penix Jr. emerged.
Cousins was dumbstruck that dysfunctional Atlanta would draft his immediate successor in Penix months before he played his first down with the team. Atlanta may not have been entirely truthful with him, but Cousins could not be that obtuse, right? I mean, he was coming off a major Achilles injury in his mid-to-late 30s and has never come close to reaching a Super Bowl. Of course, this all happened!
In Albert Breer's latest for Sports Illustrated, he took a bit of a deep dive into what all is going on with Cousins' contract situation amid his budding divorce with Atlanta. He wrote that Cousins is only going to waive his no-trade clause to go to a team that will afford him the opportunity to be their starter for the entirety of next year. Simply put, if a team drafts a quarterback high, he is not going to go there.
There is a chance Atlanta could have a deal in place to trade Cousins in the lead-up to the NFL Draft...
What teams could be in the market to trade for Kirk Cousins this spring?
Breer mentioned teams like the Cleveland Browns, the New York Giants and the Pittsburgh Steelers all as destinations for Cousins. Fate would have it, they are among the handful of teams I would not be shocked if they took a quarterback in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. The Tennessee Titans are probably going to take Cam Ward No. 1 out of Miami, so that may leave us with one team without one.
I would be stunned if Cleveland or New York did not take Colorado star Shedeur Sanders inside the top three. While Jaxson Dart may end up going to the Steelers at No. 21 out of Ole Miss, I doubt Cousins will be willing to go there if Pittsburgh ends up taking him. There is also the Aaron Rodgers of it all. He too is playing the waiting game this offseason. The only difference is he is now a free agent.
From Atlanta's perspective, I would venture to guess they will get some future draft compensation for Cousins this offseason. It almost certainly will be in the 2026 NFL Draft, but it could be in this year's draft if the I's get dotted and the T's get crossed ahead of time. Again, Atlanta is willing to eat the additional $10 million in guaranteed money and most of Cousins' salary for at least this NFL season.
The most important thing that needs to happen is for one of these handful of teams in question to come out of the draft without a quarterback. If Tennessee does in fact take Ward No. 1, then that really opens up the world of possibility for a trade involving Cousins to happen. Of the three teams who could be drafting one at No. 1, I trust the Giants will the most and the Browns probably the least.
It is why I feel strongly at this time that Cousins will be starting for a team in the AFC North next year.