The Cleveland Browns didn’t just welcome back an old friend by signing Joe Flacco this week. They also sent ripples throughout the quarterback market ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft. They amped up pressure on trade acquisition Kenny Pickett for an anticipated summer competition. They crowded their room in advance of a potential early-round pick at the position. And, perhaps most notably, they signaled that Kirk Cousins, a long-speculated target of coach Kevin Stefanski, is no longer on their radar. Or never was.
Cousins and Stefanski notably spent time together with the Minnesota Vikings. Now that Stefanski has both Flacco and Pickett to hold down the fort, however, it’s fair to wonder: Does Cousins have any remaining options? Currently employed by the Atlanta Falcons, the former Pro Bowler has reportedly wanted a fresh start since the start of the 2025 offseason. There’s been one big problem: Cousins’ contract, which reportedly scared Cleveland away and which the Falcons have so far refused to terminate, in hopes of driving up trade interest.
So what now? In truth, Cousins may be stuck as the Falcons’ backup unless he negotiates his own release. Or unless Atlanta finds a desperate trade partner well down the road, such as during the season. In the meantime, these might be his only somewhat feasible destinations:
Minnesota Vikings
This is the most intriguing possibility from a storyline standpoint. Cousins just got done rocking the purple not long ago, ingratiating himself with Vikings Nation. His return wouldn’t necessarily inhibit J.J. McCarthy, the new face of the franchise, from taking over in 2025 and beyond. He’d offer coach Kevin O’Connell a ready-made insurance plan, without the preexisting pressure of being “the guy.” And yet the one thing Cousins has reportedly sought in his efforts to escape Atlanta is a path to a starting gig, which isn’t a reality in Minnesota barring a catastrophic…
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