The 2025 NFL Draft was supposed to bring some clarity to the Kirk Cousins situation. For those who need a reminder, Cousins signed a four-year, $180 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons last offseason, only to eventually be overtaken by first-round rookie Michael Penix by the end of the season.
Now Cousins wants out, so he has a better chance at competing for a starting job. The plan was for Cousins to begin considering waiving his no-trade clause after the first round of the NFL Draft was over, in an effort to make sure he’s not replaced by another highly drafted rookie.
Ok, so now that the NFL Draft is gone, which team should trade for the four-time Pro Bowl QB?
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Pittsburgh Steelers could re-emerge as a possibility. If not the Steelers, it’s hard for Rapoport to find a better situation than the one Cousins is already in, as the top backup QB with the organization that pursued him hardest during last year’s free agency negotiations.
“If Aaron Rodgers doesn’t go to Pittsburgh I think that’s a possibility for Kirk Cousins.. It feels like the other possibilities kind of don’t exist after the draft.. The longer this goes it feel like he’s gonna be the Falcons backup”
Ian Rapoport on Kirk Cousins/Steelers
Related: 2025 NFL QB Rankings
Many other teams that needed further competition in their QB room drafted new signal callers, including the Cleveland Browns, who actually drafted two new passers. Thus, to no surprise, Cousins may actually have fewer options available than he did when the NFL Draft kicked off.
