Could QB Kirk Cousins Join an NFC South Rival Next Season?

The Athletic's Jason Kendall appeared to float the possibility of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins staying in the NFC South for the 2025 season.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton (14) and Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

It's very difficult to foresee the entire impact the Kirk Cousins benching will have on the Atlanta Falcons and the entire NFL.

In a perfect world, the Falcons will trade Cousins this offseason. A trade will lower Cousins' dead cap number for the Falcons in 2025 and potentially 2026.

While a trade seems implausible., The Athletic's Jason Kendall didn't rule it out.

That's the good news. The bad news, though, is there's a doomsday scenario where Cousins joins an NFC South rival next season.

"The Falcons could also attempt to trade Cousins this offseason. The Raiders,Titans and Giants are expected to draft a quarterback but might also be interested in bringing in a veteran to help the transition," wrote Kendall.

"The Saints, Panthers, and Jets could also make changes."

The first three teams Kendall listed will be connected to every available quarterback this offseason. Such is the nature of the NFL offseason when a team needs a quarterback.

Who knows with the Jets. But it's hard for me to envision the Jets wanting to move on from a 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers to a 36-year-old Cousins.

But the Saints and Panthers?

There's nothing concrete to connect Cousins to either of those teams. The Panthers seem like a long shot because former No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young has improved during the second half of this season.

If Cousins doesn't want to finish his career as Penix's backup, will he want to be the No. 2 to Young?

In New Orleans, the Saints tried the veteran quarterback cast off route with Derek Carr. At times, the relationship has been fruitful, but it's led to zero playoff appearances. Will they really want an even older veteran behind center?

I seriously doubt the Falcons will agree to trade Cousins to either rival. But if Atlanta can't find another suitor, the organization may have to choose between an inter-division trade and flat out releasing Cousins.

Even if New Orleans and Carolina aren't interested in trading for Cousins, that doesn't mean they won't be intrigued in pursuing the veteran quarterback in free agency.

Right now, most Falcons fans probably don't care about Cousins joining a division rival. They may even want that because of how poorly Cousins played this season.

But the Falcons footing the bill for a quarterback to play for a division rival in 2025 would be embarrassing. However unlikely, that scenario appears to exist.