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5 teams that should consider trading for Falcons QB Kirk Cousins
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- 5 teams that should consider trading for Falcons QB Kirk Cousins
Three years after trading away Matt Ryan , the Atlanta Falcons find themselves with another veteran quarterback to offload. Kirk Cousins has three years left on his contract but is unlikely to return in 2025 due to Michael Penix Jr. 's emergence late in the 2024 season.
Despite what general manager Terry Fontenot said about the team potentially keeping Cousins as a backup, that doesn't seem like a realistic scenario. The 36-year-old had some ugly moments in 2024, but he also passed for a franchise-record 509 yards in a game and led the Falcons to a 6-3 start.
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Cousins recently admitted he was battling multiple injuries during the team's 1-4 stretch that led to his eventual benching. Assuming this is true, there should be at least a handful of interested suitors. Here's a look at five potential landing spots for Cousins in 2025.
Indianapolis Colts
General manager Chris Ballard said the Colts are looking to add a quarterback to compete with Anthony Richardson and Cousins makes a lot of sense. Richardson, 22, is too young and talented to give up on. Perhaps he would benefit from sitting behind a veteran QB like Cousins for one year. It didn't hurt Michael Penix Jr. last season and Richardson is nearly two years younger than the Falcons rookie. The Colts have $34 million available space following the NFL's salary cap increase .
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders have a clear need at quarterback and are unlikely to land either of the top prospects in the draft. A veteran like Cousins could be the team's best option if Tom Brady can't close the deal with Matthew Stafford . Las Vegas has $96 million in cap space, so money is not an issue. Cousins makes sense for a Raiders team in transition. Head coach Pete Carroll loves to compete and Cousins could give him a chance to do so in 2025 before adding their QB of the future.
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New York Giants
The Giants have over $ 48 million in cap space and are thirsty for a competent quarterback. If they strike out in the Matthew Stafford sweepstakes, Cousins is a serviceable starter who can bridge the gap. Atlanta's wide receivers put up big numbers when Cousins was healthy last season and Malik Nabers needs somebody who can get him the ball. It's probably not New York's first option, but it's not totally out of the question.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers have a talented team but a ton of uncertainty at the quarterback position. The Russell Wilson-Justin Fields experiment got off to a promising start but fizzled out by the time the playoffs arrived. Both players are set to hit free agency this offseason. Pittsburgh has $59 million in cap space and a talented wide receiver in George Pickens . The team could afford to take a chance on the veteran QB and possibly look to draft his successor. Cousins would be a good fit for Arthur Smith's system, assuming he's fully healthy.
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Tennessee Titans
The Titans will likely draft a quarterback but they should try taking a more patient approach with whoever they plan to build around. If the team goes in a different direction in the draft, Cousins makes sense as someone who can start for a year and prepare Will Levis to take over eventually. Tennessee has the cap space ( $50.7 million ) to acquire Cousins as a one-year bridge.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Falcons QB Kirk Cousins: 5 potential trade partners for Atlanta
