REPORT: Surprise AFC Team Emerges As Front-Runner To Land QB Kirk Cousins For The 2025 Season

Kirk Cousins of Atlanta Falcons looking on.

Kirk Cousins (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
An interesting AFC team is reportedly a front-runner to land quarterback Kirk Cousins if he doesn’t return to the Atlanta Falcons in 2025.

The first season of the four-year, $180 million deal Kirk Cousins signed in Atlanta was a massive letdown, to say the least. The four-time Pro Bowler was benched after 14 games in favor of rookie Michael Penix Jr., tossing 18 touchdowns against a league-high (and career-worst) 16 interceptions.

According to a report from Jeremy Fowler and Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN, the Cleveland Browns could look at adding Cousins if the Falcons decide against bringing him back in 2025. The Browns restructured Deshaun Watson’s contract which essentially confirms that he’ll be back next season:

“Some around the league have noted that Cousins, benched by the Falcons in Week 16, once played for (Browns head coach Kevin) Stefanski in Minnesota and could be available on the cheap this offseason. Atlanta owes Cousins $27.5 million in guarantees and is expected to cut him before a $10 million roster bonus is due in March…

One team source said “any veteran with starter’s talent” will be evaluated by the Browns, including current Atlanta Falcons backup Kirk Cousins, should he become available as expected. The source conceded that Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold, considered the top free agent quarterback, could prove too costly, assuming he’s even on the market. But the goal is clear: Strengthen the quarterback room with the resources at the team’s disposal.”


Stefanski was the Minnesota Vikings’ offensive coordinator in 2019, the year Cousins notched his only playoff win as their quarterback. Stefanski’s success there helped him land the Browns’ HC position in 2020, and he’s led the long-struggling franchise to two playoff appearances.

Browns Are A Good Landing Spot For Kirk Cousins

The Browns still haven’t accepted that trading for Watson has been a mistake, but they’ll surely have him on a short leash in 2025 given his awful production and injury history. If they can get Cousins at a good price, it’s worth seeing what he could do in a reunion with Stefanski.

Cousins would have a nice set of playmakers led by Jerry Jeudy, David Njoku, Elijah Moore and potentially Nick Chubb if the star RB is brought back on a new deal.