If the Pittsburgh Steelers choose to go elsewhere at quarterback, they could have a veteran option on the market in Kirk Cousins. Cousins is coming off a down year, which saw him benched for first-round rookie Michael Penix by the end of the season.
Cousins was in the first year of a four-year, $180 million deal that would see him be the face of the Falcons’ offense. However, coming off a torn Achilles, Cousins struggled, putting up 3508 passing yards while throwing 18 touchdowns and a whopping 16 interceptions in 14 starts.
Atlanta seems likely to move forward with Penix as their quarterback, which could leave Cousins on the trade market. However, if he is released, he could sign for the veteran minimum, much like Russell Wilson did with the Steelers last year.
“This is a situation that looks an awful lot like what Denver and Russell Wilson went through last offseason before Denver decided ultimately to move on from him, when it said it wouldn’t necessarily do that,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter said. “They released him, he wound up signing a one-year deal with a low salary in Pittsburgh, and that’s how I think people across the league believe this situation will unfold with the Falcons releasing Cousins right around the start of the new league year.”
Cousins has been in the league for 13 seasons now and was drafted out of Michigan State by the Washington Commanders. He has signed two big free-agent deals, one with the Minnesota Vikings and this one with the Falcons.
When he hits the market, he will look for another chance to find a starting spot, but team president Art Rooney II signaled it would be his preference to ‘bring back’ one of Wilson or Justin Fields.
