The Atlanta Falcons made it clear they are comfortable moving into the 2025 season with Kirk Cousins as their backup quarterback. The team saves cap space by keeping Cousins on the roster unless they can find a trade. Even a trade saves very little cap space but it would be a bit more room and allow the respected veteran a chance to start.
With this in mind, it is clear the Falcons are going to be exploring every option to move on from the veteran quarterback. In a very weak quarterback class, it is possible that a team at least kicks the tires on adding Cousins. The likely scenario remains the team is simply posturing hoping for a deal that won't appear. If a franchise were dumb enough to take on Kirk's contract and help out Atlanta who would they be? Three dysfunctional franchises stand out as not only quarterback needy but desperate enough to explore the move.
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders' big moves of the 2024 offseason were signing Gardner Minshew and retaining interim head coach Antonio Pierce. Two moves the franchise now has undone as their first order of business to start their 2025 offseason. The Raiders are poorly run and consistently fail to do the simple things at a capable level.
Winning in the season's final weeks put them out of reach of drafting the top quarterback targets. You have a star pass rusher in Maxx Crosby and an unstoppable pass catcher in Brock Bowers. Little else is appealing about this job as a head coach or a quarterback. You're going to be sharing a division with the Chargers, Chiefs, and Broncos. Three playoff teams that all have reason to believe they will improve next year. A long road ahead for a poorly run franchise that just might be desperate enough to consider Kirk Cousins.
Indianapolis Colts
If your quarterback needs a break midgame because you're "tired" it is safe to say you're not a franchise quarterback. Anthony Richardson continues to be a project quarterback that is stuck in the planning phase. Unable to break out beyond low expectations. His progress was so frustrating the team turned to veteran quarterback Joe Flacco in an attempt to save their season.
Still, the team won eight games and finds themselves in familiar territory just good enough to be on the edge of contention not messy enough to have picks and cap space enough to fix it. The Colts already took on Carson Wentz, Phillip Rivers, and Matt Ryan in their recent history. Could Kirk Cousins be the next veteran in line attempting to fix the Colts?
Pittsburgh Steelers
The biggest issue with this potential move is going to be cap space, however, it is an interesting idea. Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith breathing life into a player the Falcons gave up on would be fitting. Add in the fact that Justin Fields and Russell Wilson could both be moved on from and the Steelers are in a weird space.
Mike Tomlin is going to drag this team to the playoffs it seems no matter who their quarterback might be. It has been years since they had a franchise starter and the head coach finds a way to make it work. If Wilson flames out in the playoffs as expected the team will be looking for a fresh start and perhaps that means entertaining the idea of taking on Kirk Cousins understanding you can escape his contract the following season.