Former Vikings QB Heavy in Trade Rumor Mill
Ex-Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins is firmly in line to hold down backup quarterback responsibilities in 2025, supporting Michael Penix Jr. in Atlanta.
Former Vikings QB Heavy in Trade Rumor Mill
The Falcons signed Cousins last offseason as their big-brain move for $100 million guaranteed, only to bench the man after 14 starts. Now, Cousins is the most expensive backup quarterback in the sport and might be the most spendy QB2 in human history.
Accordingly, Cousins is hot and heavy in the NFL trade rumor mill.
Falcons Coach Acknowledges Kirk Cousins Trade Rumors
Falcons head coach Raheem Morris opined that trading Cousins could be an option while speaking to reporters at NFL league meetings.
“I do know he would like to try to be a starter at some point. That’s been clearly communicated with me and whoever else he had an opportunity to talk to. I do know that. The way about that, I’m not sure, but we’ll have to figure those things out, and we’ll have to get to that process,” Morris declared.
“There’s definitely a human side when you want to see him go out and be the best version of himself. This is not a thing where we’re holding you back if the opportunity presents itself. If it’s something that’s good for both of us — it’s good for the Falcons and Kirk Cousins — we certainly would like to see that happen.”
Trading Cousins would put Atlanta on the hook for about $37.5 million in dead cap money.
Morris added, “We invested in Kirk last year. We invested in some major way, and right now we feel really strong about him being our backup quarterback and the things he can do for us.”
Atlanta does not expect Cousins to attend voluntary workouts next month, which will intensify the trade rumor mill if Cousins isn’t shipped elsewhere during the 2025 NFL Draft.
Adam Schefter on the Steelers as Trade Option
Cousins, in theory, should have a smallish trade market. Most teams have QB1 plans solidified entering April or at least a draft plan to nab Cam Ward (Miami) or Shedeur Sanders (Colorado).
ESPN’s Adam Schefter said this week about Cousins’ trade options, “I also believe that the break-the-glass emergency plan for Pittsburgh, for Cleveland, for Minnesota if it doesn’t have a backup, the break-the-glass emergency plan is you can always say ‘I’m gonna trade a draft choice to the Atlanta Falcons for Kirk Cousins.'”
“You can always say ‘We’re gonna take on some of his salary.’ I think Kirk Cousins is sitting there as the break-the-glass emergency option for one of those teams.”
Cousins played quite well in 2024 while his team cruised to a 6-3 record. Soon after, the bottom fell out, Cousins was benched, and the Falcons missed the postseason altogether.
“I can’t imagine, nor could they, that Shedeur Sanders would somehow slip that far. Let me say for the record right now, despite speculation to the contrary, I will be surprised if the Pittsburgh Steelers take a quarterback in Round 1. I don’t think they’re drafting a quarterback in Round 1. That’s me based on conversations with a lot of different people,” Schefter added.
Why the Trade Rumor Mill?
Theoretically, Atlanta could employ one of the NFL’s best backups in Cousins and call it good. It’s just that his presence will continue to be a distraction, not unlike this week when reporters asked Morris rapid-fire questions about Cousins. Morris should be answering questions about the draft. Fielding queries about a backup quarterback is a little odd.
No matter what, it’s Penix Jr.’s time in Atlanta, and the Falcons must decide if Cousins is best served to live on the bench behind him for megabucks — or if trading him makes the most sense.
Other Kirk Cousins Landing Spots
Depending on the draft’s outcome, these three teams could inquire about Cousins’ trade price:
- Cleveland Browns
- New York Giants
- Pittsburgh Steelers
Schefter also inserted the Vikings into Cousins’ rumor mill, though it may be unlikely for Minnesota to donate precious draft capital for a quarterback who was cut loose just 13 months ago.
Cousins will turn 37 in August.
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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