Hated Vikings Rival Floated for Kirk Cousins Trade
Kirk Cousins could be the most expensive backup quarterback in league history this season, which is a rather Kirk Cousinsian statistic.
Kirk Cousins could evidently join one of the Vikings’ most hated rivals via trade.
The Atlanta Falcons will roll with Michael Penix Jr. in 2025, and to date, Cousins has not been traded or released, sitting on the Falcons’ bench and on tap to earn $45 million for holding a clipboard.
But one recent theory suggests Cousins, who quarterbacked Minnesota for six seasons, could be traded to one of the Vikings’ most hated foes, the New Orleans Saints.
Kirk Cousins to Saints Trade Theory Is Out There
The Saints may or may not need a starting quarterback this season, and according to SI.com, Cousins might be a sensible solution.
Dominic Minchella explained, “The former Spartan hasn’t seen any movement, as some believe it’s easier for him to stay in Atlanta rather than uproot his family and move elsewhere. However, one opportunity had opened up that another NFL franchise could be calling the front office in Atlanta.”
“The New Orleans Saints’ veteran quarterback, Derek Carr, announced his retirement on Saturday from the National Football League. While the Saints did acquire several quarterbacks from the 2025 NFL Draft, it remains unknown if they will throw one of them into the deep end to start their NFL careers.”
The Falcons would eat about $38 million in dead cap if they traded Cousins this summer.
Minchella added, “Cousins has the experience that the Saints could be intrigued by. But what they wouldn’t be intrigued by is the salary he is making. The Falcons signed Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal with $100 million guaranteed. For 2025, according to Spotrac.com, Cousins is set to make a base of $27.5 million.”
“As it currently stands, Cousins will be playing football with the Atlanta Falcons come the fall, unless something interesting happens. The trade talks for Cousins have been going on all offseason long, as the Falcons benched the MSU product down the stretch of last season for rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. Making too much money to be viewed as a backup to a rising quarterback, Cousins has asked about the likelihood of him packing his bags and playing elsewhere.”
Derek Carr’s Retirement
Why is Cousins in the mix for New Orleans, if only in theory? Simple — Derek Carr up and retired last week, mentioned by Minchella, and that bombshell rocked the NFL’s landscape.
Carr recently turned 34, so he’s not a totally advanced age for an NFL quarterback. But he had apparently seen enough of the big league, and at least for now, will enjoy retirement.
It’s worth noting that Carr seems like “one of those guys” who could unretire as early as the 2025 midseason if some team’s QB1 falls injured. Just a theory.
Would Saints, Falcons Really Do Trade Business?
A hurdle to a Cousins trade between the Falcons and Saints is the rivalry. For example, in the last few seasons, had Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love been lost for the season, would the Vikings really trade Nick Mullens to Wisconsin, helping keep the Packers’ hopes alive?
Probably not.
That logic may apply to Cousins, the Falcons, and the Saints. Although Atlanta may be happy to get Cousins off the roster, as employing him could add a distraction behind Penix Jr., whose development is rather vividly ongoing in the NFL.
Rookie Tyler Shough Otherwise
More likely than a Cousins trade to New Orleans is the elementary promotion of 26-year-old rookie passer Tyler Shough of Louisville to QB1.
The Saints picked Shough in the 2nd Round last month, and at age 26, if he’s not ready to play this fall, how long will New Orleans have to wait? The guy should be embarking on his second NFL contract by now, per his age. But he’s a rookie.
Shough earning the top job is probably more likely than a Cousins trade.
Keeping Cousins as an Expensive Backup?
Athlon Sports‘ Hery Acosta recently opined on the notion of keeping Cousins in Atlanta: “Cousins is coming off a season where he led the league with 16 interceptions while only playing 14 games. He was benched for rookie Michael Penix Jr. who will now be the full-time starter in 2025.”
“There have been many teams to be in and out of the Cousins sweepstakes but none have pulled the trigger because of salary demands from the Falcons. These demands could mean the Falcons must keep Cousins and pay his full salary unless a trade partner can be found soon.”
Not for nothing, if the Falcons don’t cut or trade Cousins, he’d probably be touted as the best backup quarterback in the world. He better be at his price point.
Acosta added, “The Falcons have a lot of decisions to make regarding Cousins and his salary. Keeping Cousins is not the worst option as he will be a stable backup for Penix if he struggles but paying that much money to a backup quarterback can set your team back.”
“There is still a long way to go until the season kicks off and other teams could potentially need to bring in Cousins for a veteran leader and starter.”
Cousins will turn 37 in August.
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