The Atlanta Falcons spent the entire offseason trying to find ways to move on from Kirk Cousins after he lost his starting role to second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr. However, once the Steelers struck a deal with Aaron Rodgers, that opportunity disappeared, and the Falcons were left with Cousins on the roster.
“That stinks for Cousins, and the Falcons may not be too thrilled about running out of trade options either. While Atlanta has said it is 'comfortable' keeping Cousins around as its backup, general manager Terry Fontenot can't be eager to hand out a $27.5 million salary to his QB2,” Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox wrote.
The consensus around the league was that Cousins could become a desirable target if a team suffered an injury at the quarterback position. Well, over the weekend, a few injuries occurred.
“But the moment that somebody hits their thumb on a helmet. The moment that somebody pulls up lame with a hamstring, the moment that anything happens to any quarterback, the first question is going to be: is this the team that trades for Kirk Cousins?” said NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
It’s becoming increasingly clear that injuries are happening fast — and the market for Cousins could soon begin to take shape. There’s a growing belief that he’s about to get some phone calls.
“The Kirk Cousins trade market may be heating up very, very soon,” The Falcoholic’s Kevin Knight wrote.
Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp
The only major risk the Falcons face is that Penix could get injured after the team moves on from Cousins. That would be a significant problem, as Easton Stick would likely become the backup — and he has no regular-season NFL experience.
Cousins is definitely a name to keep an eye on as quarterback injuries start to pile up. The veteran wants to play, and there are teams that may soon want him. While it’s just speculation for now, the phone could start ringing at any moment.