The Atlanta Falcons made a mistake when they signed Kirk Cousins.
They gave the veteran quarterback guaranteed money and a big salary, then selected a quarterback in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
More than that, they refused to build the offense around Cousins’ skills and benched him when he struggled.
He had another chance to prove that he’s still got it when he started in place of injured Michael Penix Jr. against the Miami Dolphins in Week 8.
It did not go well, and it may have taken a big toll on his potential trade value approaching the NFL deadline.
Even so, he no longer wants to be a backup and is looking to move on.
“Kirk Cousins desires an opportunity to start elsewhere, via USA Today,” B/R Gridiron wrote on X.
Kirk Cousins desires an opportunity to start elsewhere
(Via @usatoday) pic.twitter.com/vdyiQFFXOv
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) October 28, 2025
Unfortunately, it might be a little too late for that.
The Falcons’ decision to keep him this offseason already diminished his potential trade value.
As things stand now, there aren’t many quarterback-needy teams that are still in playoff contention.
The New York Jets, Cleveland Browns and New Orleans Saints need a quarterback, but they won’t win many more games this season.
The Las Vegas Raiders are committed to Geno Smith, and while he’s been awful, they may not want to pay another veteran.
As for the Minnesota Vikings, they lost Carson Wentz for the season, and with inexperienced and injury-prone J.J. McCarthy about to return, Cousins could make sense as a stopgap option.
Whether they are even interested in bringing him back might be a different story.
NEXT: Key Falcons Player Ruled Out For Dolphins Game
