For the first time in about a decade, Kirk Cousins's future in the NFL is in jeopardy.
Cousins, who signed a lucrative four-year contract worth $180 million with the Atlanta Falcons in March, was benched in favor of rookie Michael Penix Jr. ahead of the team's Week 16 matchup against the New York Giants.
Now, this move doesn't officially indicate Cousins's time in Atlanta is over. Penix, the No. 8 pick in the 2024 draft, could struggle down the stretch and hand the starting role right back to Cousins. But if Penix stays healthy and performs well, the Falcons could be looking to cut ties with the 36-year-old this offseason. No team wants to pay a veteran quarterback $45 million per year to sit on the bench, after all.
Cutting Cousins would be an expensive decision—$65 million in dead cap space, to be exact—but it's not unprecedented. The Denver Broncos released quarterback Russell Wilson in March and faced a league-record $85 million in dead cap space, split over the next two years.
Wilson, of course, went on to sign a one-year, $1.2 million contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers in hopes of earning the starting job. He did, and currently has the Steelers one win away from clinching the AFC North division.
If the Falcons move on, could Cousins follow in Wilson's footsteps this offseason? And if so, where could he end up? Let's explore some of the top options:
New York Jets
An aging quarterback coming off an Achilles injury? That hasn't stopped the Jets in the past.
All eyes will be on New York's decision around potentially bringing back quarterback Aaron Rodgers in 2025. Although, considering Rodgers's subpar performance this year and the organization's plan to bring in a new general manager and head coach, a Rodgers-Jets reunion seems unlikely.
If Rodgers departs, Cousins would make plenty of sense in New York, which is currently in line to land a top-10 pick in the 2025 NFL draft. He would join a talented roster and new coaching staff while serving as a stop-gap quarterback for the Jets' future plans at the position, whatever that may be. Another bonus for the Jets: Cousins doesn't go viral every week for odd comments on The Pat McAfee Show.
San Francisco 49ers
Kyle Shanahan's dream would finally come true.
The 49ers coach has been outspoken over the years about his fondness for Cousins, who he coached in Washington for two seasons from 2012 to '13. San Francisco general manager John Lynch also has publicly admitted the 49ers' "master plan" was to pursue Cousins via trade or free agency in '18—until the team traded for Jimmy Garoppolo.
Despite their frustrating 2024 campaign, the 49ers reportedly still plan on signing quarterback Brock Purdy to a long-term contract extension this offseason. But bringing in Cousins on a cheap, one-year deal for some insurance in case Purdy's struggles continue into '25 would be a good bet. Perhaps Shanahan will reunite with Cousins a mere seven years after he first cast his wish.
Las Vegas Raiders
Losers of 10 straight games, the Raiders (2–12) appear set to land a top-two pick and likely select one of the top quarterback prospects available in Colorado's Shedeur Sanders or Miami's Cam Ward.
While landing with a team expected to draft a quarterback probably isn't Cousins's preference—it's why he left Minnesota only to find himself in the same situation in Atlanta—it might be one of his better options. Cousins, who will turn 37 in August, could start the year with a chance to prove he still has what it takes to be a starting quarterback in the NFL while teaching a young QB the ropes.
Cleveland Browns
The Browns are a mess at the quarterback position. Why not get a little messier?
Heading into next season, Deshaun Watson has two years remaining on the fully guaranteed five-year contract worth $230 million he signed in March 2022. Cleveland would face an unprecedented amount of dead cap space if it cut him this offseason ($172 million!), so Watson likely will return in '25.
But Watson will be coming off an Achilles injury next fall, and he did nothing to convince the Browns he deserves the starting role while healthy this season. Cousins—again, on a cheap Wilson-like deal—could reunite with coach Kevin Stefanski, who served as his quarterbacks coach in 2018 and offensive coordinator in '19 in Minnesota. If he landed in Cleveland, Cousins would no longer be the most overpaid player in his quarterbacks room.
Tennessee Titans
The Titans just benched former second-round pick Will Levis in favor of Mason Rudolph, who they probably don't want to roll into 2025 as their answer under center.
Tennessee (3–11) still is behind two quarterback-needy teams in the Raiders (2–12) and Giants (2–12) in the draft order, which doesn't bode well for its chances to land Sanders or Ward. If the Titans wanted to look more toward 2026 to select their quarterback of the future (hello, Arch Manning?), Cousins could step in as short-term relief for coach Brian Callahan's second year at the helm.
New York Giants
Last but not least, the New York Football Giants.
Just like the Raiders, the Giants appear set to land a top-two pick and likely will select a quarterback after cutting former first-round pick Daniel Jones in November. If Drew Lock unexpectedly goes on a heater to close out the year and wins a few must-lose games to bump the Giants out of a top pick, however, New York's front office might be scrambling.
Giants owner John Mara insists that general manager Joe Schoen and coach Brian Daboll will return next year. If they do, and the Giants don't have one of the top picks, they could be calling Cousins's name for some stability at quarterback. That duo can't survive another losing season.
Just don't expect that call to Cousins to be televised on Hard Knocks: Offseason. That didn't work out too well for Schoen last year.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Six Potential Kirk Cousins Landing Spots If Falcons Decide to Cut Ties.
