If there was ever an offseason when trading Kirk Cousins was possible, it is this one. Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders are this season's top draft prospects and both have obvious red flags. Looking at the quarterback free agent and trade markets, you're options are extremely limited as well.
With the recent Matthew Stafford decision, teams are left talking themselves into Sam Darnold, Aaron Rodgers, or the ghost of Russell Wilson. Rarely has the quarterback market been this bleak. This offers the Falcons hope that a team will be desperate enough to believe Kirk Cousins 2024 lack of production was due to an injury and not his age.
A bleak quarterback market offers Atlanta hope that a Kirk Cousins' trade is not only possible but probable
Looking at the limited options becomes even more interesting when you consider the teams expected to be in the quarterback market. The Raiders, Jets, Steelers, Browns, Titans, and Giants are all clearly looking to make a change at the position. This doesn't include teams like the Saints and Colts who could make a move at the position as well.
The point being the fact that the number of teams looking for starting quarterbacks outweighs the viable options. This sets up the Falcons to sit back and wait for the market to play out and deal with Cousins' contract after June 1st. It is only after this date that a trade would offer the Falcons notable cap relief, making any potential move likely happening late in the offseason.
This could explain Atlanta's early offseason stance on keeping Cousins as their backup option. Atlanta GM Terry Fontenot can sit back and wait until he is able to trade the veteran quarterback, hoping there is a deal left. If not, the team already has put out that they expect to keep the veteran and won't lose face. If there is a deal after the first few waves of offseason moves, the Falcons can take it, offering the fact the team needed to create more cap space and add a draft pick. What looked to be an impossible trade weeks ago now seems plausible for a franchise that continues to get in their own way.
