Landing Spots For Kirk Cousins

When Falcons HC Raheem Morris stepped to the podium for the first time after announcing Atlanta was benching veteran QB Kirk Cousins, he said first-round QB Michael Penix Jr. would be the starter “moving forward.” Those weren’t empty words, and they weren’t just referring to the last few games of the season. When the Falcons shocked the NFL world by taking Penix with the No. 8 pick in the first round, it became inevitable that they’d hand over the keys to the franchise at some point, regardless of how much money they’d just paid to Cousins. 

That point arrived sooner than everyone expected, leaving Cousins’ NFL future in limbo for the second straight offseason. The most probable resolution to this situation is the Falcons will cut Cousins with a June 1 designation to diffuse what would be a $65 million dead money hit. Cousins has a no-trade clause and he’s not expected to do the Falcons any favors by waiving it. Atlanta has a deadline of March 17 to avoid being on the hook for another $10 million in guarantees as well, so it’s harder to squat on Cousins to try and force a trade. 

These are among the reasons the top NFL insiders have all reported Cousins is likely to be cut instead of traded. A trade would be vastly preferable to the Falcons but they don’t have the leverage. While the organization hasn’t ruled out the idea of keeping Cousins instead of cutting him, that would mean guaranteeing $37.5 million for a backup quarterback. That’s unconventional even for Atlanta. 

Let’s assume Cousins ends up being available for the veteran minimum just like Steelers QB Russell Wilson was this past offseason. Like Denver, Atlanta will be on the hook for a huge chunk of guaranteed money after cutting Cousins, lessening the need for a new team to pay anything beyond that. Given the success Pittsburgh has had with Wilson, Cousins should have a healthy market. 

Cousins will put even more thought into finding a good fit with his next landing spot. The Falcons were supposed to check all the boxes this past spring with a good supporting cast ready to win and a familiar scheme under OC Zac Robinson. Robinson is a fellow branch off the tree of Rams HC Sean McVay with Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell, who has gotten the most out of Cousins of any of his play-callers so far. 

But whereas O’Connell never missed a chance to pump up Cousins, the Falcons undercut him almost from the jump with the surprise pick of Penix. The lack of support continued into the regular season with an offense that curiously elected not to lean into some of Cousins’ strengths like the play-action passing game from under center. Cousins might bear some of the fault for that, as at times he didn’t look the same physically as before last year’s torn Achilles. 

Regardless, the fit ended up not being great, and Cousins won’t have many more chances to make up for that. Right now, there are about five teams who should be HIGHLY motivated to add a new starter this offseason. I would expect all of those teams to have some level of interest in Cousins, plus one other which could be making a change. 

Here’s the list of potential suitors, ordered by who I think at this early junction could be the most likely to land Cousins:

Cleveland Browns

Even before Browns QB Deshaun Watson tore his Achilles, he was playing so badly that it seemed only a matter of time before he was benched — massive guaranteed contract notwithstanding. The injury will force the Browns to try and add to the position even with Watson’s contract anchoring their books. The expectation was they’d have to sign a cheaper bridge veteran and explore their options in the draft, hoping to hit on a passer on a rookie contract to help rebalance the books. 

If things were a little different and the Falcons had a credible chance of trading Cousins, the Browns would have challenges fitting another $27 million on their books for a quarterback. But because he’ll cost just a minimum contract, that changes the complexion of things entirely. In fact, I would say the Browns should far and away be the favorites to sign Cousins this offseason. 

Fit is going to be incredibly important for Cousins as noted above, and the best way to ensure he lands with a staff that understands how to get the best out of him is to reunite with a former colleague. Browns HC Kevin Stefanski was the quarterback coach and then the offensive coordinator in Cousins’ first two seasons in Minnesota. The Vikings had a winning record both seasons, made the playoffs in 2019 and Cousins was productive. 

Stefanski has a reputation as an egoless coach, which is a rarity in the NFL. He’s happy to tailor his offense to what the situation requires and for whatever makes his quarterback the most comfortable. But the offense he knows and calls best — lots of multiple tight end sets, lots of play action from under center — happens to be an excellent fit for Cousins. 

The veteran quarterback could also be a huge help for the Browns, giving them an established quarterback who can bring them back to the identity they’ve had the most success with in the past few years. The Browns have made the playoffs twice under Stefanski in 2020 and 2023 with two different quarterbacks, Baker Mayfield and Joe Flacco. But both offenses relied on the run game and play action to be effective. With Watson, the Browns have played more like a spread offense — a horribly inefficient one because of Watson’s scattershot accuracy and unwillingness to stretch the field. 

While the Browns have no choice but to rebuild after this past season exposed more problems than just the quarterback, this is a veteran-heavy team and a front office under pressure not to slip back into irrelevancy. Put another way, there’s not much appetite in Cleveland for another multi-year rebuild. Adding Cousins would help the Browns sell to veterans like DE Myles Garrett that they’re still in the mix while not costing the Browns resources needed to rebuild the rest of the roster. 

The fit makes so much sense for both sides. The Browns have work to do on offense but so do the other teams that need passers, and none of them have the advantage of employing Stefanski. Meanwhile, Cousins might be the best bang for the Browns’ buck at the quarterback position next year. Until we learn differently, I believe the Browns should be considered the favorites to sign Cousins. 

Tennessee Titans

Cousins wasn’t the only quarterback to get benched this past week, as Tennessee yanked second-year QB Will Levis and replaced him with journeyman backup QB Mason Rudolph. Titans HC Brian Callahan was careful to point out Levis is under contract for two more years and could still be a factor but it’s clear the sacks, turnovers and poor decisions have worn on him. Tennessee will look hard at bringing in alternatives to Levis this offseason. 

As things stand, the Titans would pick sixth in the draft, which may or may not be high enough to select a first-round passer. There’s also a question of whether there are quarterbacks worth a top-ten selection in this class or if the league is looking at guys with the equivalent of beer goggles at last call. The Titans could always fall in love with a guy but they have a young quarterback to compare prospects against on the roster already in Levis. 

I think it’s also interesting that while the Titans were expected to be rebuilding, they went heavy on veteran players in free agency to try and buy some quick success in Callahan’s first year. Those signings have, with one or two exceptions, largely fallen flat on their face, as evidenced by the team’s paltry three wins. There’s no real heat on Callahan right now but that would change quickly if wins don’t come soon in 2025. 

For those reasons, I think the Titans will be after a veteran in the offseason while leaving their options open to draft another passer if one they love is at their pick or to spend more time developing Levis behind the scenes. Cousins will be one of the options they consider, and he’ll be particularly attractive because of his low salary. If the Titans are skeptical or miss out on Vikings QB Sam Darnold, they could pivot to Cousins. 

Callahan doesn’t have any experience working with Cousins and doesn’t necessarily have a lot of background in Cousins-friendly schemes either. His resume includes stops with Matthew Stafford in Detroit and Joe Burrow in Cincinnati. Those have given him a positive reputation in league circles as an offensive coach and a chance to sell himself to Cousins. On offense, the Titans need to rebuild the right side of the offensive line and add another weapon or two outside of WR Calvin Ridley but the cupboard isn’t completely barren. 

Ultimately there aren’t a lot of great veteran options set to be available and Cousins stands out. If Tennessee is going to add a veteran, there’s a good chance they’re highly motivated to land Cousins. 

New Orleans Saints

If the Saints end up deciding to get rid of veteran QB Derek Carr this offseason, Cousins would make a lot of sense as a replacement to target. The two players are similar overall but Cousins has the advantage of being massively cheaper in 2025. It would allow the Saints to get out from under Carr’s contract without experiencing too much of a dropoff at the position, in theory. 

It would also help that Saints OC Klint Kubiak — assuming he sticks around on the new coaching staff, which would be far from a given — held the same position for Cousins in 2021 which was one of the years he made the Pro Bowl. There’s proof of concept there for Cousins that he’ll be landing in a true fit. New Orleans was hit hard by injuries but there are some pieces still on offense including RB Alvin Kamara, WR Chris Olave, WR Rashid Shaheed and an offensive line that was better than a lot of people expected in 2024. 

The issue with the Saints is there are a lot of factors that would have to come together to make them an option for Cousins. While the Saints will have a new head coach and are theoretically open to other major changes that come with that, longtime GM Mickey Loomis will remain in his post by all accounts. He’d have to be on board with moving off of Carr just two years after signing him to a significant contract. 

As noted above, Kubiak would have to be retained to have the best shot at recruiting Cousins, too. It’s not unheard of for new coaches to retain coordinators who the organization is high on but more often than not, the new coach wants to bring in his own guy, especially when it comes to offensive play-caller. There are a lot of reasons Cousins and the Saints would make sense as a match, but also a lot of reasons this is a long shot to come together. 

New York Jets

In an alternate timeline, Cousins was a New York Jet instead of a Minnesota Viking, as those were the top two contenders for his services when he was an unrestricted free agent in 2018. Cousins even turned down more money from the Jets to sign in Minnesota. Now years later there’s a chance the Jets could land Cousins after all. 

The Jets are expected to be back in the quarterback market after things haven’t worked out with Aaron Rodgers. The team is going to have a new head coach and a new general manager, so it makes sense for them to pursue a completely clean slate. Rodgers is due a $37 million option bonus and would need to accept a significant pay cut from that number to return, assuming he wants to be back or even play next year. 

That leaves New York in need of a new starter. Veteran QB Tyrod Taylor remains under contract for one more year and he’s been a solid bridge starter in the past, albeit one with a significant injury history. The Jets currently are slated to pick No. 7 but that’s behind the Giants, Raiders, Browns and Titans without even allowing the possibility of a trade up. There might not even be a quarterback worth trading up for in this class, or worth the pick at No. 7. 

A lot will depend on who the Jets land at head coach, as if they get a candidate with a strong background on offense or a background with Cousins, that could boost their chances. But Cousins has to be considered an option for the Jets, especially given his salary. He’d be an upgrade over Taylor and would give New York another chance at what they were trying to land with Rodgers — a reliable veteran passer who could maximize a talented supporting cast. 

Las Vegas Raiders

Today’s win against the Jaguars dropped the Raiders a couple slots in the draft order, though they remain in the top three and within striking distance of a rookie quarterback. Most have expected Las Vegas to pursue a long-term solution in the draft after striking out the past couple of years. Owner Mark Davis has added fuel to that fire with comments about minority owner Tom Brady having a significant voice in the evaluation process. 

But consider a scenario where the Raiders love Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders yet aren’t picking high enough to land him. Miami QB Cam Ward is the other consensus top quarterback prospect but it’s an open question right now just how highly he’s thought of in NFL circles. We do know he got late Day 3 grades from the draft advisory board last year before returning for a successful season at Miami. 

If the Raiders don’t think Ward is worth a top pick or elect to draft a quarterback later on in the draft, Cousins becomes a viable option as a bridge starter until they can find that quarterback of the future. From Cousins’ perspective, the Raiders would have a lot of work to do to become appealing as a destination. But in a world where they move on from current HC Antonio Pierce, hire former Titans HC Mike Vrabel and poach Kubiak from the Saints, that starts to seem a little less farfetched. 

New York Giants

The Giants are the current favorite to land the No. 1 pick, and the front office has done extensive work on Sanders at Colorado this fall. The chalk scenario at this point is New York drafting Sanders with the top pick. But just like the Raiders, imagine a scenario where New York wins a couple of games, drops out of range of Sanders and doesn’t rate Ward as worth a high first. Cousins then becomes an option as a pivot, though they’d face similar challenges recruiting him to New York. 

Sleeper Teams

There are a few teams who aren’t viable options for Cousins right now, but that could change depending on if a few things break differently. The NFL is a never-say-never league, so these teams would be classified as unlikely but not impossible landing spots. 

• Pittsburgh Steelers: More than likely, Pittsburgh will try and run things back with Wilson and/or backup QB Justin Fields. If not for whatever reason, Cousins would make a ton of sense as a Wilson replacement as a cheap veteran who could execute OC Arthur Smith’s offense. 
• Los Angeles Rams: The Rams and veteran Stafford are in the year-to-year stage of their partnership. It feels like both sides would want to run things back off of what’s looking like a playoff season, but if not, McVay would almost certainly be excited about the idea of reuniting with Cousins. 
• Indianapolis Colts: The Colts are in an interesting situation with QB Anthony Richardson, who shows unmistakable talent but also needs a lot more development for Indianapolis to be a viable contender. Flacco, the backup, is on just a one-year deal and wasn’t able to hold onto the starting spot after getting a crack earlier this season. Cousins would be more capable insurance if Richardson doesn’t take a step, and if no starting jobs are available, he might have to settle for a chance to compete. 
• Minnesota Vikings: Cousins might not ever admit this but I bet he has some regret over leaving the Vikings, as at least they were upfront about their plans of drafting a quarterback. Had he taken their offer to stay, he might be having the season Darnold is having, although obviously his torn Achilles is a variable in the situation. Minnesota has a fascinating dilemma on its hands this offseason with Darnold, who will be tough to retain. Do they turn the keys over to first-round QB J.J. McCarthy straight away, or bring in another veteran so he doesn’t have to be forced to play before he’s ready? Is that veteran someone like Daniel Jones who was signed after the Giants cut him loose to give him a trial run, or someone more established like Cousins? It may seem far-fetched but I think Cousins will have rose-colored glasses for the Vikings after his short-lived time in Atlanta.