This Kirk Cousins saga has been a long one for Atlanta Falcons fans. After his benching, we heard reports that he would be cut, and then came the trade talk, which has loomed like a dark cloud ever since.
It has been at a standstill with Cousins wanting to wait until after the first round, but things are starting to heat up with the NFL Draft tomorrow.
Dianna Russini names three landing spots for Kirk Cousins
In an article for The Athletic, Dianna Russini revealed information on the Atlanta Falcons' situation with Kirk Cousins (subscription req.), starting with potential landing spots.
The Cleveland Browns, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and "possibly" the Minnesota Vikings will have interest.
That is great news for the Dirty Birds. Not too long ago, we couldn't identify a single team that would have interest.
However, with each of those, there is a "yeah but." The Browns traded for Kenny Pickett and signed Joe Flacco. The Steelers have Aaron Rodgers looming over them. The Vikings have J.J. McCarthy, a situation Cousins has looked to avoid.
Personally, I am struggling to see why the Browns and Steelers would trade for him. With the Vikings, would he waive his no-trade clause to join the exact situation he wants to avoid? Yes, he has familiarity with everyone there, but he won't have a long leash.
The timeline for a Kirk Cousins trade
The Atlanta Falcons will have to wait until Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft to trade Kirk Cousins, according to Russini.
"If a trade were to happen, I’d expect it to go down on Saturday"
That is disappointing. Maybe it is wishful thinking, but previous reports have said a third-round pick isn't out of the question.
Hopefully, if he is traded on Saturday the Falcons can land a pick in this year and next year's Draft.