There’s bold, and then there’s borderline unthinkable.
That’s pretty much the only way to describe the trade idea concocted by Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports.
In a hypothetical attempt to see what “some of the wildest NBA-style deals” would look like in the NFL, he put together a potential four-team trade that would send 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy to the Miami Dolphins and current Atlanta Falcons QB Kirk Cousins to San Francisco.
To be fair, Benjamin admitted the trade “almost certainly never come to fruition,” but argued that it “just might make some sense for all sides … if only NFL teams were aggressive enough.”
Let’s break down Benjamin’s entire trade proposal — we hope you brought snacks.
49ers 4-Team Trade Proposal Swaps Brock Purdy for Kirk Cousins, Draft Picks
Getty| A wild new trade proposal has the 49ers swapping Brock Purdy for Kirk Cousins.
Here’s a look at the full trade proposal Benjamin put together:
- 49ers get: QB Kirk Cousins (Falcons), 2026 second-round pick (Dolphins), 2026 third-round pick (Saints)
- Dolphins get: QB Brock Purdy (49ers)
- Saints get: QB Tua Tagovailoa (Dolphins)
- Falcons get: C Matt Hennessy (49ers), 2026 fifth-round pick (Saints)
“The 49ers just paid Purdy, which is completely understandable, but we know Kyle Shanahan has an affinity for his old pal Cousins, and we know Cousins is currently blowing in the wind, awaiting an opportunity as Atlanta’s No. 2,” Benjamin wrote on July 7, adding:
“The Purdy-to-Cousins swap might be a downgrade in 2025, but adding a couple of early-round picks could help San Francisco replenish its greater infrastructure.”
Perhaps there will always be discussions about Cousins due to his connection with Shanny dating back to Shanahan’s Washington days. Cousins’ familiarity with Shanahan’s system coupled with the 49ers’ coach’s admitted affinity for the veteran QB have some analysts convinced Cousins should be San Francisco bound.
But from the 49ers’ perspective, trade proposals like this have more red flags than anything else.
Purdy Is the 49ers Franchise QB Now
Even if you were to discount the five-year, $265 million contract extension Purdy just signed, here’s the thing: Purdy has already shown he can thrive in Shanahan’s offense, leading San Francisco to a Super Bowl in just his second year. Trading him now, especially for an older quarterback recovering from a torn Achilles, is beyond ridiculous.
At 36 now, Cousins comes with both age and durability concerns. Since leaving Minnesota, Cousins signed a four‑year, $180 million fully guaranteed contract with the Falcons in March 2024, one of the NFL’s largest contracts. But his 2024 campaign was underwhelming.
He threw 18 TDs, tied a career-high 16 interceptions and finished with a modest 88.6 passer rating and a 66% completion percentage. His late-season benching — he was replaced by rookie Michael Penix Jr. — has made him the subject of myriad trade rumors, and the 49ers always seem to find themselves tied to him.
Sure, Cousins could be a reliable short-term starter—he ranks among the NFL’s most consistently accurate passers, sixth all-time in completion percentage and 11th in passer rating — but the Niners are in win-now mode.
They don’t need a bridge QB when they already have a franchise QB.
