Kirk Cousins will be getting his first start since 2024 on Sunday when the Atlanta Falcons take on the Miami Dolphins.
Cousins is getting the nod thanks to a knee injury starter Michael Penix Jr. Suffered last week. Penix, who replaced Cousins late last season, did manage to practice on a limited basis three times this past week, so he may not be out for long.
The start for Cousins gives quarterback-needy teams who may have some interest in trading for him ahead of the Nov. 4 trade deadline a chance to see what he's got left in the tank.
It's perfect timing for the Falcons, who have just a week-plus to figure out what they're going to do with the veteran quarterback.
But will the Falcons ultimately be able to unload Cousins? Here's what we know.
Will Falcons trade Kirk Cousins?
While both sides would likely welcome a trade, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports that, right now, it's going to take a quarterback injury somewhere for teams to get involved in trade talks with the Falcons for Cousins.
"Like with Wilson, Cousins would need injuries at the quarterback position to spark a market. He is 37, and he struggled with interceptions last season (16), but Cousins could help a team in a bind," Fowler wrote.
Even if a team suffers a significant injury at quarterback, that team might prefer to trade for New York Giants signal-caller Russell Wilson because of his more team-friendly contract.
Granted, Wilson is no great shakes and has struggled in recent years, but the last we saw of Cousins, it didn't look like he had much left in the tank, either.
With all things being equal, Wilson is more attractive with his smaller contract, and with the fact that he's a free agent in 2026.
One team to keep an eye on is the Minnesota Vikings. The team might be interested in a reunion with Cousins given Carson Wentz's injury and the struggles J.J. McCarthy has seen this season.
Making a Cousins trade more difficult is the Falcons' reported insistence on teams taking on the rest of his guaranteed money for this season, something The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported last month.
Perhaps that will change the closer we get to the deadline, but time is running out and right now it looks like the veteran signal-caller might stick in Atlanta for the rest of the season.
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