The Falcons offseason is going to be defined by two things — Kirk Cousins and the defense. They will have to explore ways of getting rid of the veteran while supporting their franchise quarterback in Michael Penix Jr. with a quality defense.
Terry Fontenot discussed Cousins’ future with the organization in his season-ending press conference, in which he confirmed some earlier reports from different outlets that the Falcons are comfortable with Cousins as the backup quarterback next year behind Penix.
Atlanta’s GM continued by saying the Falcons would be open to trading Cousins if the veteran is willing to waive his no-trade clause. Additionally, Fontenot added there was no truth to the reports suggesting the Falcons were planning on releasing the veteran once the season ended.
Simply put, it’s a standoff between the two sides, but there will certainly be teams in need of a signal caller, leading Maurice Moton of Bleacher Report to come up with five trade hypotheticals that illustrate a trade is possible.
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Browns Get: QB Kirk Cousins
Falcons Get: 2025 4th-round pick, S Juan Thornhill
The Browns are clearly going to be in the market for a quarterback this offseason. Whether it’s in the draft or not, Cleveland has too talented of a roster to just mail it in on the 2025 season. Cousins might not be who he was once upon a time, but a year removed from the Achilles injury could prove to be the key factor in the veteran returning to the level of play that can get a team to the postseason.
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Raiders Get: QB Kirk Cousins
Falcons Get: 2025 4th-round pick, CB Jack Jones
The Raiders going after Cousins makes less sense than the Browns. Las Vegas, amid a head coach and general manager search, should be looking to build around a young quarterback or get a cheap stopgap veteran, which I guess, in a way, Cousins could be. He’d only cost about $27 million, which is a bargain for a starting-caliber quarterback in the NFL, but the question remains: Is Kirk Cousins a starting-caliber quarterback?
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Giants Get: QB Kirk Cousins
Falcons Get: 2025 4th-round pick, S Dane Belton
The theme of a fourth-round pick is consistent throughout Moton’s hypotheticals, which is obviously great value for the Falcons. I’d put the Giants in a similar tier as the Raiders. While New York would improve with Cousins, are they a Kirk Cousins-esque quarterback away from competing? Hell no.
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Jets Get: QB Kirk Cousins
Falcons Get: 2025 4th-round pick, EDGE Micheal Clemons
The Jets are interesting because I do believe their roster, unlike the Giants or Raiders, is good enough to compete. However, why in the hell would New York go from one aging quarterback in Aaron Rodgers to another? It wouldn’t make much sense, but then again, when has Woody Johnson done the logical thing as the owner of the Jets?
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Steelers Get: QB Kirk Cousins
Falcons Get: 2025 4th-round pick, EDGE Preston Smith
Now, this one would be funny. Whether it’s the similarities between Russell Wilson’s falling out in Denver and Cousins’ in Atlanta, the connection to Arthur Smith, or the fact that Cousins and Wilson both look like washed veterans, there’s a lot of irony in this hypothetical. But with a roster good enough for a postseason berth in a loaded AFC, the Steelers are just looking for the quarterback to put them over the top. If it’s 2024 Cousins, keep looking. If it’s 2023 Cousins, eureka!
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Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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