Browns Could Pursue Veteran QBs Like Aaron Rodgers Or Kirk Cousins
The Cleveland Browns could pursue veteran quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers or Kirk Cousins for the 2025 season, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Cleveland recently restructured Deshaun Watson's contract to presumably keep him on the team next season, but the team's desire to bring in quarterback competition has been well-documented. Both Rodgers and Cousins, who seem likely to be on new teams next season, are strong candidates to push for the starting job over Watson in Cleveland. Rodgers has come on strong with nine passing touchdowns over his last five games, but there has been plenty of speculation that he and the Jets are headed for a divorce. Meanwhile, Cousins was benched in the midst of his first season with the Falcons after tossing seven interceptions in a three-game span.
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins is expected to be released before his $10 million roster bonus is due on March 17, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Cousins signed a hefty four-year, $180 million deal with the Falcons last offseason, but the move hasn't panned out very well for Atlanta. The veteran quarterback has the Falcons at 7-7 and second place in the NFC East. He has completed 66.9 percent of his passes for 3,508 yards, 18 touchdowns, and a career-high 16 interceptions. Cousins was benched for first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. ahead of Week 16, and with the news that he'll be cut loose next March, it's possible that the veteran signal-caller doesn't register another snap in a Falcons jersey. The 36-year-old's proven track record should help him land a job somewhere else, but he won't get nearly as lucrative of a deal. He likely won't be a shoo-in to start with his next team, either.
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins was benched in favor of first-round rookie Michael Penix Jr. this week after throwing nine interceptions in a five-game span in which the team went 1-4. Cousins, 36, is unlikely to be the No. 1 QB in Atlanta again this year, and the chances that the 13-year veteran signal-caller comes back in 2025 as the backup are slim. Cousins has a no-trade clause after signing a four-year, $180 million deal last offseason with around $100 million guaranteed. If the Falcons cut Cousins, they'll get hit with $65 million in dead money. If they designate him a post-June 1 cut, they dead money would spread over the next two seasons -- $40 million in 2025 and $25 million in 2026. A trade could be pulled off if Cousins approves it, and in that scenario, the Falcons would be on the hook for the remaining $37.5 million of remaining proration. Cousins also has a $10 million roster bonus for 2026.
The Atlanta Falcons are benching quarterback Kirk Cousins heading into their Week 16 game against the New York Giants in favor of first-rounder Michael Penix Jr., according to head coach Raheem Morris. Despite signing Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract in the offseason, the Falcons are turning the page as they try to secure a playoff spot in the final three weeks. In the last five games, the 36-year-old Cousins has really struggled, throwing only one touchdown and nine interceptions. He went 11-for-17 for only 112 yards with a touchdown and interception in Monday's win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Cousins leads the NFL with 16 interceptions and has failed to give the Atlanta offense the boost he was expected to provide. Penix, 24, has lots of upside as the eighth overall pick, but he's raw -- he's played in two games and has gone 3-for-5 for 38 yards. The strong-armed lefty will be a low-end QB2 with upside.
Falcons Non-Committal On Kirk Cousins Starting In Week 16
When asked if quarterback Kirk Cousins was still the Atlanta Falcons' starter heading into Week 16 against the New York Giants this Sunday, head coach Raheem Morris was non-committal. "We just got back. We still have to go through that process. All those things will happen over the course of the week. We didn't play well enough at the quarterback position," Morris said. The Falcons didn't really need the arm of Cousins in their 15-9 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday night, and he went 11-for-17 for 112 yards, one touchdown and a league-high 16th interception of the season. In the four previous games, the 36-year-old veteran failed to throw a TD while tossing eight interceptions. Atlanta could probably get away with another similar game script against New York this weekend, but Cousins' downfall could lead the team to turn to rookie first-rounder Michael Penix Jr. Stay tuned.
Kirk Cousins Finally Throws A TD, Hands Game Off To Ground Attack In Win
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins threw his first touchdown pass since Week 9 in Monday's 15-9 win over the Raiders, however, the team leaned heavily on the run game in this one, tallying 168 rush yards between Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier. Cousins completed only 11 passes but was asked to throw the ball just 17 times in the contest, racking up a paltry 112 yards passing. The 36-year-old threw the touchdown pass late in the first quarter, but also tossed an interception and looked out of sorts outside of the lone TD, which seemingly exacerbated the need to lean on the run and was the reason for so few pass attempts. Despite the win, it was not an encouraging performance if you're a Falcons fan hoping for a playoff run. The veteran will take on the Giants in Atlanta next Sunday, but for fantasy, hopefully managers have other options available at this point with fantasy championships on the line.
Kirk Cousins Draws Favorable Matchup, But A Risky QB2 In Fantasy Playoffs
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins hasn't thrown a touchdown pass since Week 9, a stretch of four consecutive games without one, while throwing eight interceptions during that time. The 36-year-old has struggled mightily outside of the three games played against the Buccaneers and Cowboys. In those other 10 contests, the veteran signal-caller has a 6:14 TD:INT while averaging 239 passing yards per game. The silver lining is that the Falcons take on the Raiders this week, a team that has yielded the ninth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks on the season but have been even worse as of late, with 16 TD passes allowed in their last six games alone. It's possible that the Falcons rely on the run game when in a position to score, as they did last week with all three touchdowns coming via the rush. However, with Atlanta as four-point favorites in desperate need of a win to keep playoff hopes alive, in addition to Cousins possibly playing for his job and with an extra day to prepare, this could be the week to take a flier on the 4x Pro Bowler. It's a risky proposition though, as he projects as a low-end QB2 in Week 15 on Monday night.
Despite their fourth straight loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 14 that has dropped them out of the division lead in the NFC South, Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris doesn't plan to replace struggling quarterback Kirk Cousins with rookie Michael Penix Jr. "Everything is always discussed, but Kirk Cousins is our quarterback," Morris said. Cousins has thrown eight interceptions and no touchdown passes in his last four games. Up until 2024, he had never gone more than two straight games without a TD pass. In a homecoming game in Minnesota for Cousins, he threw for 344 yards on 23-for-37 passing but threw another two picks. He leads the NFL in interceptions with 15, the most he's thrown in a single season in his career. Although it's fair to expect fantasy managers to avoid Cousins with how bad he's been, he does have a get-right matchup in Week 15 against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Kirk Cousins Throws Two More Picks, No TDs In Week 14 Loss
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins has now gone four consecutive weeks without a touchdown pass after Sunday's 42-21 loss to the Vikings. The 36-year-old completed 23 of 37 passes for 344 yards and threw an additional two picks, now with a 0:8 TD:INT over this four-game stretch in which Atlanta has lost each game. The Falcons have gone from 6-3 and in first place in the division to 6-7 and a game behind Tampa Bay while falling out of even qualifying for a Wild Card spot. Calls for Michael Penix Jr. may grow louder, but in the postgame press conference, head coach Raheem Morris reaffirmed that Cousins will be the team's quarterback. If that remains true, the veteran will get the Raiders in Week 15, a team that had allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to QBs coming into the week and allowed Baker Mayfield to throw for almost 300 yards and three TDs on Sunday. Even so, with the prospect of being benched combined with continued poor play, Cousins looks like he'll be a risky, low-end QB play again in Week 15.
Despite his poor play recently, Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris has made it clear that he is standing by quarterback Kirk Cousins as the starter, even after Cousins tossed four interceptions in the Week 13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Cousins has played poorly in recent weeks, but The Athletic's Dianna Russini has been told that no internal discussions of a QB switch to first-rounder Michael Penix Jr. have happened. Atlanta will continue to show faith in Cousins with the added motivation of facing his former team, the Minnesota Vikings, this weekend. Things can change quickly in the NFL, though, so if Cousins falls flat again in Week 14, perhaps Morris will change his tune about the QB situation heading into Week 15. The 36-year-old Cousins has fallen to low-end QB2 status after throwing six interceptions without a touchdown pass in the last three games.
Kirk Cousins
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Falcons
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Aaron Rodgers
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Jets
