The Atlanta Falcons' final hope of trading Kirk Cousins rests solely on what Aaron Rodgers decides. Pittsburgh has bet its entire offseason that Rodgers will be the team's quarterback. If Rodgers opts to retire or find a surprise landing spot, the Steelers could be desperate enough to consider a trade. Thus far, the Falcons have followed through on the team's intentions to keep the quarterback.
Still, there is a faint hope that Atlanta will rid itself of the potential distraction. How much value Cousins carries as a backup option vs. being a distraction to Michael Penix Jr. is up for debate. A debate that will only have any meaning if Rodgers spurns Pittsburgh's advances in favor of another landing spot or retirement.
Aaron Rodgers would solve two problems with potential retirement
It isn't a hot or original take to point to Pittsburgh as the only landing spot for the veteran quarterback. On the heels of the 2025 NFL Draft, it has been made clear that the Steelers are perhaps the only team with existing quarterback concerns. Why they believe Rodgers is a great answer is the same lack of logic that makes Kirk Cousins an ideal fit.
At least with Cousins, you know you're not going to have weekly media sessions used to take passive-aggressive shots. As Rodgers has aged, the quarterback has become too much of a character to play at the level he did with New York. Watching Rodgers fade from contact and miss open receivers should have been the warning sign that it is time to hang it up.
While that could still prove to be the case for Rodgers, the level of interest from Pittsburgh is alarming. One interesting factor for the Falcons is if a trade becomes real, how serious are they about the Steelers taking on $20 million of Kirk's contract?
Atlanta is seeking a potential trade partner to provide sizeable salary cap relief. This is a big part of why Kirk Cousins hasn't already been traded. It seems the Falcons truly were content keeping the veteran as a potential backup. With Penix's extensive college injury history, this is somewhat understandable. The flip side of this argument is the potential distraction it provides.
It seems fitting that it is likely the decision of Aaron Rodgers that decides how all of this plays out. Setting up a possible Atlanta Falcons alum reunion between Arthur Smith and Kirk Cousins is objectively hilarious. It would unquestionably be a fitting way for the saga to end.