The Atlanta Falcons' Kirk Cousins experiment has been a disaster, and they are prepared to cut the QB when the 2025 NFL Offseason rolls around. The team signed Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal this past offseason, and at one point this year, the Falcons were 6-3 and atop the NFC South. They are now 7-7 and just barely alive in the NFC playoff race.
The Atlanta Falcons are expected to cut Kirk Cousins before his $10 million roster bonus is due March 17, sources tell @AdamSchefter. https://t.co/zaGgRD8M6y
— ESPN (@espn) December 21, 2024
Kirk Cousins has been truly horrific in recent games. Over the last five games, he has thrown just one touchdown pass against nine interceptions. This could be another aging QB hitting his decline, but I would think that Cousins is still starting for a team in 2025. He does play a style of QB that can sustain success as he gets older.
He is a true pocket passer and can play on time. With another year under his belt with his Achilles recovery, Cousins could return to more of his phyiscal self as well. There is a path in 2025 for Cousins to be starting somewhere, and these three teams may present the best fits.
3 most logical landing spots for Kirk Cousins in the 2025 NFL Season
Cleveland Browns
In 2018 and 2019, Kevin Stefanski was working with Kirk Cousins when the two overlapped on the Minnesota Vikings. Stefanski held a QB coach, interim offensive coordinator, and offensive coordinator roles with the Vikings during this time period.
And with the Cleveland Browns having Deshaun Watson's huge contract on the books, they are going to be looking for a low-cost option. Cousins will likely have to take a minimum deal if he wants to play in 2025, and he probably recognizes he is not going to get a huge payday this offseason. The Browns can reunite Kevin Stefanski with Kirk Cousins and allow the team a bridge-QB year to figure out their QB situation for the long-term.
The Browns may also then dip into the 2025 NFL Draft and find a QB they can sit behind Cousins for a year.
Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders practically threw Derek Carr in the trash and have since been among the worst teams in football in the two years he has not been with the team. The Raiders may be in a great position to have their choice between Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward in the 2025 NFL Draft, but what if they also want to bring in a high-end backup as well?
Kirk Cousins could be that person who starts the first few weeks of the season why Sanders, Ward, or another QB gets up to speed. It is not uncommon for this situation to happen in the NFL, and having a high-end backup could also afford the Raiders an opportunity to actually bench the rookie if he is struggling. We kind of saw this with Andy Dalton and Bryce Young in Carolina this year.
Developing a QB is not a linear process, so it's always nice to have a high-end backup to pair with the rookie QB when situations arise.
Indianapolis Colts
This could be another Chris Ballard special. If you ask me, the most overrated General Manager in the NFL is Chris Ballard, who has not been able to put in a long-term QB situation ever since Andrew Luck shockingly retired. Give him a break, it's only been six years since he retired!
The Colts have tried players like Jacoby Brissett, Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz, Matt Ryan, and now Anthony Richardson. Indy is doing this QB situation in the exact opposite way a team should, and Kirk Cousins could be the next test subject in the latest Ballard experiment. Richardson is not an NFL-caliber QB, and I truly have no idea how he could get a third season with how inefficient he's been.
In the wide-open AFC South, the Colts could see a path to win the division in 2025 if Kirk Cousins is their starting QB.