There’s Another Kirk Cousins Theory for 2025
After spending $180 million over four years for a new contract on Kirk Cousins last offseason, the Atlanta Falcons will embark on the Michael Penix Jr. era in 2025.
There’s Another Kirk Cousins Theory for 2025
The Falcons paid Cousins the handsome contract 11 months ago and drafted Penix Jr. from Washington six weeks later, one of the most shocking moments in draft history.
And because the franchise now belongs to Penix Jr., Atlanta will likely trade or release Cousins in the next few weeks or months. According to Pro Football Focus, the Tennessee Titans should be the trade destination.
“One team to keep an eye on would be the Tennessee Titans, who hold the first overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. With numerous needs, the idea of selecting a QB at the top of the draft has been met with some contention. The idea that the Titans could possibly trade back to gather more draft capital or select a ‘generational talent’ — presumably not of the quarterback variety — has become the prevailing sentiment around NFL circles,” PFF’s Mason Cameron wrote last week about Tennessee as a Cousins trade spot.
“Head coach Brian Callahan benched Will Levis this past season after various bouts with questionable decision-making, and could very well look at a veteran signal-caller to take up the mantle.”
Cousins’ Falcons started 6-3 in 2024 before collapsing altogether and missing the postseason by one game. Atlanta even benched Cousins for Penix Jr., and he will start Week 1 of 2025, not Cousins. If Atlanta cuts or trades Cousins — that’s the expectation — his next team will onboard him for cheap. The deal will resemble Russell Wilson’s last year in Pittsburgh.
Cameron added, “That would provide this team with flexibility come draft day, while also finding their starter under center. While being traded to the team with the worst record in the NFL last season may seem like a clear-cut opportunity for Cousins to exercise his no-trade clause. The AFC South continues to profile as a fairly winnable division, which may appeal to Cousins, who will be 37 years old come August.”
Most expect the Titans to waltz out of the 2025 NFL Draft with a quarterback of the future, probably Cam Ward (Miami) or Shedeur Sanders (Colorado). That’s the perk of holding the draft’s first overall pick.
Yet, in the PFF scenario, the Titans would evidently trade down, sign Cousins, feature a training camp battle between Cousins and Levis, and build out the roster, perhaps waiting on the 2026 NFL Draft for a quarterback. That class already looks a bit more promising at quarterback than this year’s edition.
If not the Titans, Cousins has been linked to the New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, and Las Vegas Raiders in the rumor mill. The Browns make the most sense because of Cousins’ preexisting relationship with head coach Kevin Stefanski.
Cousins will turn 37 this summer.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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