The Cleveland Browns have still been linked to quarterbacks, surprisingly, given the team currently has five quarterbacks on the roster. However, considering none of them are guaranteed starters in the NFL, it’s also tough to justify the Browns entering Week 1 with their current quarterback situation.
Because of that, some believe the Browns will still add to their quarterback room, possibly giving them six quarterbacks if they don’t send one of their current quarterbacks out in the deal.
When looking for who that might be, AOL.com recently proposed the idea of them trading with the Atlanta Falcons for veteran Kirk Cousins, who has ties with head coach Kevin Stefanski.
“After tearing his Achilles in 2023, Kirk Cousins bounced back with Atlanta in 2024 and completed 68.4% of his passes. Cleveland has uncertainty under center, and head coach Kevin Stefanski knows Cousins well from their Minnesota days. A reunion would give the Browns a stable QB option,” they wrote.
Stipulations of a Potential Trade
AOL.com wasn’t the only outlet that suggested that the Cleveland Browns might be interested in trading for Cousins. However, from the Atlanta Falcons’ perspective, it might be tough to justify unless they get something in return or if the Browns would be willing to take on most of his contract.
When searching for other possibilities, Bleacher Report also noted that Cousins could be a decent fit for the Browns, once again citing the relationship with Stefanski.
“Cousins is arguably the best quarterback of the bunch, as his resume proves,” wrote Paul Kasabian. “In theory, if the Browns aren’t comfortable with naming anyone from that quarter QB1, then a trade could potentially transpire. Plus, the connection with Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, who was Cousins’ quarterbacks coach with the Vikings in 2018 and offensive coordinator in 2018 and 2019, is certainly notable here as well.”
Why the Browns Shouldn’t Make the Trade
The one issue with trading for Cousins is that the Cleveland Browns just selected two quarterbacks in the first five rounds of the 2025 NFL draft. While Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel still have a long way to go to be a contender for a starting spot with the Browns, it’d be very questionable to bring in a quarterback who still has three years left on their deal when they just drafted two and have three others on the roster, including Deshaun Watson who is injured and has money remaining on his deal.
According to Cleveland.com, the Browns could have some interest, but it remains unlikely that they’d trade for him because of his current contract situation.
This should be all the Browns need to know, as Cousins still just makes way too much to justify trading for it, despite how enticing it might be, considering he’d be the best one of the bunch.
“A trade to the Browns, however, appears unlikely at this point, because it must satisfy all three entities: the Falcons, Browns and Cousins. The Falcons want a significant amount of relief on the $37.5 million salary, meaning the new team would have to agree to take on a sizable chunk of that.
“The Browns will want to pay a relatively moderate sum because of their $37 million cap charge for Deshaun Watson and the fact that their rookie might start for them this season; and Cousins wants a starting opportunity. The deal would also include draft pick compensation, but the Falcons would likely take what they could get if they decide to let him go,” they wrote.
