Kirk Cousins’ departure may have started slowly, but it ended quickly with the Atlanta Falcons.
Cousins threw eight interceptions while being held without a touchdown as the Falcons fell from first place in the NFC South with four straight losses and were on the verge of making the playoffs. It stood out as a problem. . But it wasn’t until Monday night’s 15-9 win over the Las Vegas Raiders that things really started to unravel. In this game, Cousins did not attempt a single pass on first down before halftime and was held to a season-low 112 yards. . Falcons coach Raheem Morris, who had been adamant in his support of his starter a few weeks earlier, declined to comment on his team’s plans for the quarterback after the game.
“We didn’t play well enough at the quarterback position. We had to find a way to play better,” Morris said.
Less than 24 hours later, the Falcons announced Cousins would be benched. Rookie first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. will handle the remaining three games of the regular season.
The move comes just nine months and 14 starts after Cousins signed a four-year, $180 million contract, and he showed incredible potential from end to end during his time in Atlanta. Joined to elevate a talented offense that seemed poised to take a big leap forward, he instead turned out to be one of the unit’s biggest limitations, throwing an NFL-worst 16 interceptions. I did.
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So what’s next for Cousins?
Many signs seem to point to a breakup sometime within the next three months, and if he remains on the roster by March 16th, he will receive an additional $10 million from Atlanta (already paid by 2025). The expected payment of $27.5 million will be guaranteed. Some of Cousins’ salary will be taken down, and the veteran’s no-trade clause could be a major hurdle for the Falcons finding a deal.
All of this could mean Cousins’ first step toward redemption mirrors that of Russell Wilson, who was released by the Denver Broncos in March, resulting in the largest dead cap hit in NFL history ($85 million). This may indicate that there is a (If not drafted after June 1, Cousins would incur a $65 million dead cap hit.) Wilson signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers before the start of free agency and was healthy in October. He led the team after taking over the starting role from Justin Fields in . Another playoff berth.
But regardless of acquisition method, which team makes sense for Cousins to land in 2025? Here are the top 10 options, ranked based on suitability and needs:
1. Cleveland Browns
Perhaps what Cousins needs most to revive his career is a coach who understands his abilities and still believes in him. If so, there could be no better destination for him than Cleveland. Browns coach Kevin Stefanski served as Cousins’ offensive coordinator with the Minnesota Vikings in 2019, when the quarterback posted a career-best passer rating of 107.4 and was selected to the second of four Pro Bowls. Ta. Cleveland remains financially committed to Deshaun Watson for two more years, but Cousins is exactly the low-cost option the team could take if it decides to cut its losses on one of the most unfortunate transfers in NFL history. There is a possibility that Stefanski handed over play-calling duties to Ken Dorsey this season, but Cousins will feel plenty comfortable and familiar with the offense. It’s hard to imagine a better time for the 13-year veteran to regain his footing.
2. Tennessee Titans
For Cousins, the most direct route to his starting job in 2025 could be in Nashville. First-year coach Brian Callahan appears to have reached his breaking point with Will Revis, who replaced Mason Rudolph on the bench this week. But unless the draft order changes significantly, Tennessee is frozen out of a chance to take Colorado’s Shedule Sanders or Miami’s Cam Ward in a draft class that doesn’t have a clear third-rounder worthy of a top-10 pick. There is a possibility that Cousins’ turnovers may be a concern given how often the offense was canceled out by Levi’s scoring, but any little bit more consistency for this unit could go a long way. Tennessee uses Cousins as its first top option and could still take a flier on the signal-caller after the first round – the team also had a third-round pick after trading to the Kansas City Chiefs in the deal for Rajarius Snead. Missing players – No need to overcommit when rebuilding.
3. New York Giants
Either way, there’s no doubt that the Falcons will shape the Giants’ quarterback plans next season. As the team faces Penix in his starting debut on Sunday, New York could extend a nine-game losing streak and move toward a top-two pick in the draft, or move back a few spots in the tentative first-round position. win. But even using a premium pick on a rookie passer might not prevent the Giants from considering Cousins. Co-owner John Mara announced in October that he intended to retain general manager Joe Schon and coach Brian Daboll, but the team wants to ensure a smooth transition to the position behind center long-term. There is a possibility that the introduction of a bridge starter may be considered. With a thin market for the position, Cousins could be one of the most attractive options for such a role if he is willing.
4. New York Jets
There’s no point in trying to determine the Jets’ trajectory next year. The Jets are basically a blank slate, and they don’t have anyone who can make a start at the moment. According to multiple reports, Cousins could be a placeholder starter in the new system as Aaron Rodgers’ return seems remote, but the new system will heavily rely on a rookie quarterback in a subpar class. Maybe I don’t mean to. Having Breece Hall, Garrett Wilson, and Davante Adams would provide a platform for success if Gang Green keeps him, but Atlanta’s skill position talent pool It wasn’t enough to keep Cousins afloat this season. Still, there’s bound to be some discontent about going from a 41-year-old quarterback who has shown the negative effects of a torn Achilles to a 36-year-old quarterback who has shown the negative effects of a torn Achilles tendon.
5. Indianapolis Colts
Would you do that? Can you do it? After the Matt Ryan saga, Chris Ballard will be criticized if he brings in another post-career quarterback from Atlanta. But for an organization that appears to be on track for another year of rebuilding with Anthony Richardson, a new veteran addition is insurance after Joe Flacco proved unfit for the job this season. Adding backups may be necessary. With Ballard and Shane Steichen likely to be in the spotlight in 2025, they may need to at least consider that option, assuming both return.
6. Pittsburgh Steelers
Wilson and Justin Fields are both set to become free agents, so Cousins can’t be completely ruled out just yet. But while Cousins might fit well in Arthur Smith’s play-action-heavy offense, the only real advantage for Mike Tomlin here is that he’s a better choice than giving Wilson a significant salary increase. You’ll be able to get the signal caller for another year at a steep discount. Tomlin may not be able to start because of the turnover factor, especially without a big-play talent like Wilson.
7. Carolina Panthers
Bryce Young has done more than enough in recent weeks to restore confidence in his position as Carolina’s QB for next season. Still, Andy Dalton is a free agent, and a veteran backup who can start will probably be a must for Dave Canales’ staff. However, it’s hard to say Cousins is a desirable contingency plan for a team like the Panthers at this point.
8. New Orleans Saints
Derek Carr’s broken left hand left many wondering if the veteran quarterback had played his final game in New Orleans. However, if the Saints were to move forward, handing the keys to Spencer Rattler would be a far preferable move than bringing in an even older quarterback who is in decline.
9. Las Vegas Raiders
Likely to land a top-two pick, the franchise, which has struggled over the past two years with Jimmy Garoppolo, Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew II, could finally make headlines by acquiring a young quarterback. will be possible. The Raiders have to be prepared to endure the slump that comes with rookie play, so there’s little justification for bringing in someone like Cousins unless it’s purely in a coaching capacity.
10. San Francisco 49ers
It’s perfectly reasonable to expect Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch to pursue significant changes this offseason after their drastic underperformance in the Super Bowl last season. Pivoting from Brock Purdy shouldn’t be one of them. The team is giving every indication that it is preparing to hand out a potentially record-breaking contract extension, and the idea that the team would change its plans simply to pursue a Shanahan-Cousins reunion is extremely unlikely. It seems far-fetched.
