With Derek Carr's surprising retirement shaking up the quarterback market, there is now a reason to wonder if a Kirk Cousins trade is back on the table. If Aaron Rodgers does continue his career, that will leave a clear quarterback concern in either New Orleans or Pittsburgh. If Rodgers were to sign with the Saints, the Falcons could be offered the enticing chance to unite two former Falcons in current OC Arthur Smith and quarterback Kirk Cousins.
The Falcons have remained cagey as to what the future holds with Cousins. Raheem Morris and Terry Fontenot have both been insistent that the team is very willing to move forward with the veteran quarterback. This thought was aided by Atlanta's draft approach, which suggested a high level of urgency to win now.
Derek Carr's retirement just reignited hopes of an Atlanta Falcons Kirk Cousins trade
Despite this, the Falcons would be foolish not to take advantage of a bad 2025 quarterback market if the right opportunity presents itself. If the Saints or Steelers are willing to take on a portion of Kirk's deal as a desperation move it should be an instant send for Atlanta.
The last time we saw Kirk Cousins, the quarterback couldn't complete basic passes well, telling the Atlanta media he was fully healthy. This was later recanted with the quarterback blaming injuries for his 2024 end-of-season woes. Atlanta has every reason to want to move on from a veteran who was one of the worst contracts in recent memory.
However, if you're forced to pay Cousins either way, there is no denying it is more enticing to have the wildcard as Penix's backup option. At least Cousins offers experience and perhaps the ceiling of what he once was. This is why a trade is only going to work if one of the two quarterback-hungry teams is willing to take a meaningful portion of the contract.
If it isn't enough to get Atlanta a bit of cap relief, it isn't a move worth making. Still, it is now a noted possibility as the team perhaps has the last available starter on the market once Aaron Rodgers finally decides his landing spot.
