The Minnesota Vikings are only one season removed from having Kirk Cousins as their starting quarterback, but all the drama surrounding the veteran passer has made his situation hard for fans to ignore.
The four-year, $180 million contract with a $50 million signing bonus and $100 million guaranteed Cousins signed with the Atlanta Falcons was jaw-dropping. To make the situation even more baffling, his contract included a no-trade clause.
Atlanta followed that up by using the No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. This move seemed odd considering their investment in Cousins and other needs on the roster.
Cousins didn't seem like the same quarterback coming back from an Achilles injury that put him on IR for the Vikings in 2023. He was eventually benched by the Falcons and now Atlanta is having some buyers remorse.
Not only do the Falcons need to find a willing trade partner to take on a big chunk of Kirk Cousins' salary, but they need to have the quarterback agree to waive his no-trade clause to be dealt to another team.
Former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins is being linked to the New Orleans Saints
The football world was surprised when New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr retired from the NFL on May 10. An injury to his shoulder was preventing him from playing normally, and he decided against surgery and opted for retirement.
The Saints' quarterback room is interesting, to be polite. Tyler Shough, Spencer Rattler, and Jake Haener are the team's current options. New Orleans should not feel great about any of those options heading into the 2025 NFL season.
Finding a quarterback to hold down the position for a season or two while they develop a long-term option would make a lot of sense. CBS Sports recently listed them as an interesting destination for Kirk Cousins to be traded to.
Although Cousins was included as an option, so was starting each of the quarterbacks currently on the roster, or signing a free agent like Aaron Rodgers or Carson Wentz. Trading for other players like Will Levis or Jameis Winston was also mentioned.
For the moment, it seems like the Atlanta Falcons are stuck with Kirk Cousins. The Minnesota Vikings were wise to move on from the veteran quarterback, even if they had to put trust in passers like Sam Darnold and J.J. McCarthy, who are much less established but also significantly less expensive against the salary cap.
