The Cleveland Browns didn’t just welcome back an old friend by signing Joe Flacco this week. They also sent ripples throughout the quarterback market ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft. They amped up pressure on trade acquisition Kenny Pickett for an anticipated summer competition. They crowded their room in advance of a potential early-round pick at the position. And, perhaps most notably, they signaled that Kirk Cousins, a long-speculated target of coach Kevin Stefanski, is no longer on their radar. Or never was.
Cousins and Stefanski notably spent time together with the Minnesota Vikings. Now that Stefanski has both Flacco and Pickett to hold down the fort, however, it’s fair to wonder: Does Cousins have any remaining options? Currently employed by the Atlanta Falcons, the former Pro Bowler has reportedly wanted a fresh start since the start of the 2025 offseason. There’s been one big problem: Cousins’ contract, which reportedly scared Cleveland away and which the Falcons have so far refused to terminate, in hopes of driving up trade interest.
So what now? In truth, Cousins may be stuck as the Falcons’ backup unless he negotiates his own release. Or unless Atlanta finds a desperate trade partner well down the road, such as during the season. In the meantime, these might be his only somewhat feasible destinations:
Minnesota Vikings
This is the most intriguing possibility from a storyline standpoint. Cousins just got done rocking the purple not long ago, ingratiating himself with Vikings Nation. His return wouldn’t necessarily inhibit J.J. McCarthy, the new face of the franchise, from taking over in 2025 and beyond. He’d offer coach Kevin O’Connell a ready-made insurance plan, without the preexisting pressure of being “the guy.” And yet the one thing Cousins has reportedly sought in his efforts to escape Atlanta is a path to a starting gig, which isn’t a reality in Minnesota barring a catastrophic summer from McCarthy. If, however, he’s dead-set on a fresh start rather than sitting behind Michael Penix Jr., perhaps he’d rather sit where he and his family carved out an admittedly comfortable home for six years.
It’s unlikely the Falcons would trade Cousins to a division rival, but then again, is it? Atlanta didn’t value Cousins enough to keep him in the lineup for even one full season of his $180 million contract, so if the team can squeeze anything of value out of an NFC South foe for a damaged asset, why not? Still, this would make more sense if Cousins is outright released. New coach Kellen Moore needs something under center with Derek Carr going from disgruntled to curiously injured, and Cousins is the kind of proven play-action veteran who could hold down the fort while the Saints get things in order for the future. As a bonus, he’d probably relish games against the Falcons.
2025 NFL mock draft: Shedeur Sanders falls to Saints, Steelers fill need at quarterback
Jared Dubin
Pittsburgh Steelers
We know Aaron Rodgers is on their radar, with owner Art Rooney II proclaiming earlier this month that the former NFL MVP is all but signed. What if Rodgers never puts pen to paper? What if he retires? And what if the Steelers can’t secure a legitimate quarterback early in the draft? Something says Mike Tomlin might rather gamble with another aging veteran than open his next AFC North gauntlet with Mason Rudolph leading the charge. Pittsburgh wasn’t an apparent frontrunner for Cousins when he hit free agency last offseason, but that’s probably because general manager Omar Khan was zeroed in on more affordable options. A year later, the Steelers are even more desperate. And if Cousins is released, he’d clock in as another low-cost placeholder.
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