The Las Vegas Raiders have been plagued by inconsistency at the quarterback position for the last couple of seasons. After starting five different quarterbacks over the past two seasons, Las Vegas is looking for all the help they can get at signal-caller.
The Raiders have tried to address the position primarily by signing questionable stopgap quarterback options during free agency. They used a fourth-round pick on quarterback Aidan O'Connell but have otherwise failed to sign a quarterback who panned out for them.
Tyler Lauletta of Sports Illustrated recently listed his thoughts on the best quarterback options for the Raiders. The Raiders missed out on veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford after he recently restructured his contract with the Los Angeles Rams.
Lauletta has a few interesting suggestions for the Raiders, including Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins. After signing a significant deal with the Falcons last summer, Kirk's play significantly and quickly declined, leading to his benching.
Lauletta noted that Cousins' contract makes a potential trade difficult, but a shot at being a starter again could make Cousins more comfortable with joining another team.
"Kirk Cousins, like [Aaron] Rodgers, is another veteran quarterback whose 2024 did not go according to plan. After an extremely disappointing stretch of play left the Atlanta Falcons dropping out of the playoff picture, the team made the decision to turn to rookie QB Michael Penix Jr. to finish out the year," Lauletta said.
"In 2025, the Falcons are likely planning to fully embrace the Penix era, but with Cousins having signed a four-year deal that included $100 million in guaranteed money last offseason, Atlanta is hoping to find a way to get him off the books. While a no-trade clause complicates the matter for the Falcons, if either the Giants or Raiders are committed to handing the reins of the offense to a veteran rather than a rookie, Cousins may jump at the opportunity to regain a starting job."
While Cousins is a legitimate option for the Raiders to consider, his contract and play on the field make him an unlikely choice for Las Vegas. Cousins will surely be an asset somewhere, but it will probably not be with the Raiders.
