Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins made a stunning remains a strong candidate to be traded this offseason, one year after signing a lucrative $180 million deal in free agency.
But as fans and pundits continue to monitor the Kirk Cousins situation in Atlanta, the four-time Pro Bowler stunned everybody with an unexpected move ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay.
Per ESPN’s Marc Raimondi, the 36-year-old quarterback attended the club’s first day of voluntary workouts. This was a surprise development because, as Raimondi points out, Atlanta head coach Raheem Morris said at last month’s league meetings that he wasn’t expecting Cousins’ presence.
Here’s what Morris said at the time, via Raimondi:
“I’m not going to be foolish to think that he’s going to show up for voluntary work. Right now, we’re dealing with a businesslike mode…We’re dealing with that type of feel. I don’t think he’ll be there. If he is, we’ll welcome him with open arms. But I’m not going to be foolish enough to make myself get worked up and angry about Kirk Cousins missing voluntary workouts.”
Kirk Cousins and the Falcons are playing chess. His latest move was to show up for the offseason program and say, "Deal with me." pic.twitter.com/OATXx99jdn
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) April 22, 2025
The Falcons signed Cousins to a four-year deal last offseason, including $100 million in guaranteed money. But after five straight lackluster starts, Cousins was benched in favor of rookie and No. 8 overall pick Michael Penix Jr.
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Penix fared well in replacing Kirk Cousins, with the Falcons averaging 32 points per game in his three starts. However, they finished a disappointing 8-9 and missed out on the NFC South division crown after a promising 6-3 start.
It’s been reported that Cousins must restructure his contract to help facilitate a trade. But if a QB-needy team doesn’t land the signal-caller they want during the 2025 NFL Draft, it just might lead to Cousins getting the fresh start he badly needs.
Which Teams Could Target Kirk Cousins In A Trade?
It feels unlikely that the Cleveland Browns will take a QB with the No. 2 pick, so they could target Cousins if head coach Kevin Stefanski isn’t sold on a depth chart with Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco and Deshaun Watson.
The Pittsburgh Steelers could be in on Cousins if they don’t land Aaron Rodgers. Might the Minnesota Vikings also consider a Cousins reunion if they’re not confident in J.J. McCarthy’s recovery? Hey, stranger things have happened in the NFL.
