Aaron Rodgers finally signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers this week, bringing resolution to one of the biggest — and most drawn-out — storylines of the 2025 NFL offseason. The quarterback’s arrival doesn’t change the fact the Steelers have been mired in drama and mediocrity for close to a decade, but it certainly promises Pittsburgh football should be more intriguing this fall.
Rodgers’ decision also has ripple effects beyond Western Pennsylvania, where the Steelers’ 2025 win projections should look a little better now that Mason Rudolph isn’t the only option under center. Perhaps no one knows this better than Kirk Cousins, the other big name still available on the veteran quarterback market. Technically, Cousins remains under contract with the Atlanta Falcons, but the two sides have been dancing around an inevitable breakup for months.
The Falcons also have more reason to part with Cousins since June 1, as the veteran’s lucrative contract is more expendable. Atlanta would still suffer a net loss of $10 million if it outright released Cousins, per Over the Cap, but that’s a big improvement over the $35 million pill they would’ve had to swallow prior to June 1. Cousins could also rework his deal to facilitate a trade, which would save Atlanta something like $27.5 million against the 2025 salary cap.
The bigger question is, does Cousins have anywhere left to go? Here are some of his top potential landing spots now that Rodgers is officially headed to the Steelers:
Aaron Rodgers signing with Steelers: Four-time NFL MVP joining Pittsburgh on one-year deal
Jordan Dajani
3. Atlanta Falcons
It’s the boring answer, but honestly, Cousins’ current options are slim. At some point this whole thing becomes about what he truly wants. Because as we stand, he can just sit tight and collect the NFL’s biggest paycheck for a backup quarterback, essentially forcing the Falcons to eat money and grant his freedom if they can’t stand to commit top dollar to a No. 2. The fact Atlanta has refused to take that bait up until this point suggests the team really is comfortable paying him to stand pat and stick around as Penix’s insurance policy. Which means Cousins’ current — and maybe only — alternative is taking a pay cut to facilitate a trade … but to whom? And for what job? Another backup gig? He might not like it, but the best play for Cousins may well be staying in town, pushing Penix as best he can, and waiting out a potential injury elsewhere. Even the latter scenario would necessitate a last-minute relocation, which would be a change of pace for one of the league’s most calculated businessmen.
The Texans insist C.J. Stroud’s absence from practice at initial organized team activities (OTAs) is nothing to be concerned about, attributing the quarterback’s limitations to general shoulder soreness. That may be true. We’ve also seen plenty of teams downplay offseason ailments over the years, only to crumble as a result of them later. Shoulder soreness for a quarterback? That’s not ideal. Especially with Stroud coming off a sophomore slump of a 2024 season. Cousins would have to accept an initial backup role in Houston, but the Texans could use better insurance with Case Keenum gone, leaving Davis Mills as the only proven reserve. As a bonus, Texans quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson previously worked with Cousins in Minnesota.
New coach Kellen Moore said after the 2025 draft that the Saints aren’t overly interested in adding a veteran to the team’s young quarterback room, suggesting the new staff’s plethora of ex-quarterbacks will give youngsters like second-round rookie Tyler Shough adequate tutelage. It’s one thing to give Shough and Co. quality mentors, however; it’s another to win actual football games. And after Derek Carr’s abrupt retirement, Moore doesn’t really have a proven point guard for a lineup of veteran playmakers. Should Cousins be cut by the Falcons, it’s hard to envision a better opportunity; he’d get a crack at playing Atlanta twice in the NFC South, and his entry wouldn’t necessarily prevent Shough from taking over in the long run.
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Author: Cody Benjamin
June 6, 2025 | 11:20 am
