Kirk Cousins (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
A massive trade proposal has the Atlanta Falcons sending $180 million man Kirk Cousins to a QB-needy AFC team in a move that could shake up next year’s NFL playoff race.
The Falcons are surely regretting the four-year deal they handed Kirk Cousins in 2024 free agency, one that includes $100 million in guarantees. After 14 lackluster starts, 18 touchdowns and 16 interceptions (tied for the league lead), Cousins was benched in favor of rookie Michael Penix Jr.
Atlanta’s offense saw a major boost under Penix Jr., averaging 32 points per game in the three contests he played for. There’s no doubting who will start for the Falcons next season, but it remains to be seen if they’ll somehow find a taker for Cousins.
Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton proposed a blockbuster trade idea that has Atlanta trading Kirk Cousins to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a 2025 fourth-round pick and edge rusher Preston Smith:
“With a veteran-laden roster, Pittsburgh may favor a highly experienced signal-caller. Cousins would certainly fit that criterion with 159 career starts. If the 36-year-old avoids turnovers, he can help the Steelers win games, complementing a stout defense.”
Steelers quarterbacks Justin Fields and Russell Wilson are both pending free agents. The former could get a second chance to prove himself, but it’s hard to envision Pittsburgh bringing back Wilson after the ugly end to their season.
Pittsburgh dropped their final four regular season games before falling 28-14 to the archrival Baltimore Ravens in the Wild Card Round.
Kirk Cousins Is Worth A Look If The Price Is Right
Cousins had a rough first year in Atlanta, but he was also recovering from surgery on a torn Achilles that ended his 2023 season. By the time 2025 rolls around, he’ll have been nearly two full years removed from it, so there’s a case to be made that the Steelers should take a chance on him.
Pittsburgh hasn’t had above-average quarterback play since Ben Roethlisberger’s last healthy season in 2018. If they could just find a player to manage the offense at a decent level to complement their defense and steady ground game, the Steelers would re-emerge as a contender in the challenging AFC.
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