We're running out of time for Kirk Cousins to find a new place to play. The Atlanta Falcons seem to be gearing up for a potential Cousins trade. This is best illustrated by them signing former North Dakota State star and Los Angeles Chargers backup Easton Stick days ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft. He could be the backup to Michael Penix Jr. in Atlanta should Cousins find a new team to play for soon.
The betting favorite, outside of him sticking with the Falcons, has to be the Pittsburgh Steelers. They are probably at wit's end trying to figure out what deep-thinking Aaron Rodgers wants to do. Cousins wants to play ball. We are not so sure that is Rodgers' primary area of focus any more. The other team that is shockingly still in the Cousins sweepstakes would be his former team in the Minnesota Vikings.
Cousins had some of his best seasons playing in the Twin Cities. Unfortunately, he wanted no part of playing for a team that could draft his replacement. Ironically enough, Atlanta did that with Penix. Minnesota seems to have done that by drafting J.J. McCarthy, with Sam Darnold serving as last year's stop-gap. To me, going back to Minnesota would be a complete and total disaster for him.
Plus, it is not like Minnesota fans were all that gracious to him when he played their last season either.
Kirk Cousins should not waive no-trade clause for the Minnesota Vikings
There are so many reasons why Cousins should not go back to the Vikings under any reasonable circumstance. From Atlanta's perspective, do the Falcons want to endure even more embarrassment should Cousins potentially shine once again for the Vikings? Trading in-conference makes things complicated for both NFC teams. To me, the biggest bugaboo in all of this has to be McCarthy's play.
I am a noted McCarthy doubter, but I am 100 percent in favor of the Vikings figuring out if he can play or not as soon as possible. Bringing Cousins back into the equation only further complicates things. Cousins may be able to start in Minnesota for a year, but going back to the Vikings is only a short-term solution. Besides, at the first sign of trouble, Kevin O'Connell will yank him in favor of the savior.
In the chance McCarthy is the worst quarterback taken in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, that may cost general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah his job. His initial contract with the team is about to expire. It remains to be seen if ownership still believes he is the right man to build this team. O'Connell can do no wrong, but a potential quarterbacking catastrophe could even lessen his shine just a bit.
What I would do if I were Cousins is wait to see what happens in the 2025 NFL Draft and then get together with the Falcons brass to find a new place for him to play. The Steelers could conceivably punt on the idea of Rodgers. Who is to say they have not already? I doubt that Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders will still be on the board at No. 21. Do they really love Jaxson Dart?
Ultimately, Cousins needs to go to a team that has no attachment to him. Not Minnesota, not Washington, somewhere else. Pittsburgh not only checks this box, but may give him the best shot of winning big outside of Atlanta. The Falcons were one game away from making the postseason a year ago. Pittsburgh knows how to win more games than it loses better than any franchise in the league.
The Stick signing means something is coming, but I doubt Cousins will want to go back to Minnesota.