The Atlanta Falcons decided in March to keep quarterback Kirk Cousins on the roster, paying him an additional $10 million and ruling out his release. It ended months of speculation that Atlanta would release him just one year after landing him in free agency. However, it hasn’t stopped NFL rumors about a potential trade.
Atlanta is deploying a strategy here, one that it is hoping gets rewarded in a matter of weeks. The Falcons saw teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants and Cleveland Browns all come out of the NFL quarterback carousel empty-handed. While New York recently signed Jameis Winston, he won’t stand in the way of the club adding another potential starting quarterback.
Related: Kirk Cousins trade landing spots
- Kirk Cousins stats (ESPN): 3,508 passing yards, 18-16 TD-INT, 66.9% completion rate, 7.7 ypa, 88.6 QB rating, 28 sacks taken in 14 games
Pittsburgh still seems likeliest to wind up with Aaron Rodgers, but that’s far from a guarantee. Atlanta’s hope has been that multiple teams came up empty in the quarterback carousel, forcing them to engage with the Falcons front office in discussions on a trade for Cousins.
On the latest Inside Coverage podcast, senior NFL report Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports said that he still believes there’s a chance the Falcons trade Cousins right before, during, or soon after the 2025 NFL Draft.
Related: Insider reveals potential cost of Kirk Cousins trade with Atlanta Falcons
- Kirk Cousins contract (Spotrac): $40 million cap hit in 2025
Atlanta is still trying to thread a needle in this situation. The Browns have been linked to quarterback Shedeur Sanders and there’s a growing sense around the league that Cleveland might take him with the second overall pick. If Rodgers also signs with the Steelers, that leaves the Falcons in an awkward position with Cousins this summer.
The Browns and Steelers both committing to quarterbacks would suddenly leave Atlanta with a disgruntled veteran quarterback who could cause problems in training camp. It wouldn’t be the kind of issue the franchise wants heading into Michael Penix Jr’s first full season as the starter.
For now, Atlanta is holding out hope that the Steelers or Browns are desperate enough to trade for Cousins instead of waiting things out for Rodgers or the 2025 NFL Draft. If things don’t work out in the Falcons’ favor, they might have to just get ready for an uncomfortable situation with Cousins until another team gets desperate for a quarterback.
