Bleacher Report Proposes 'Shocking' Trade Destination for Falcons' Kirk Cousins

Bleacher Report's Alex Kay named a potential landing spot for Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins that would completely shock the league.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Falcons have pretty much run out of potential trade partners for quarterback Kirk Cousins. If the Falcons still want to trade the veteran signal-caller, they likely have to wait until a contending team suffers an injury behind center and offers an enticing package for Cousins out of desperation.

There's one other potential trade scenario -- Cousins to the New Orleans Saints.

It doesn't make a lot of sense for the Falcons to move the quarterback to their biggest division rival. But Bleacher Report's Alex Kay didn't rule out the possibility.

In an article where he proposed seven "shocking NFL trades," Kay proposed the Falcons deal Cousins to the Saints.

In return for Cousins, Kay suggested the Falcons receive quarterback Spencer Rattler, a 2026 fifth-round pick and 2027 sixth-rounder.

"New Orleans is running out of options to fix a QB room that consists of second-round rookie Tyler Shough, Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener. If the club wants to compete in 2025, it must swing a trade for Kirk Cousins—the last remaining proven veteran who is realistically available," wrote Kay.

"Cousins has been mired in a battle with the Atlanta Falcons—the team that benched him late in the 2024 campaign in favor of rookie Michael Penix Jr.—for his freedom. Despite signing a blockbuster four-year, $180 million contract just over a year ago, Cousins is hoping to escape Atlanta and sign with a team that could utilize his services at this late stage of his NFL career."

The biggest obstacle in such a trade is the fact the Falcons and Saints are in the same division. Kay overlooked that, though, and mentioned Cousins' salary as the biggest hurdle in a potential Falcons-Saints deal involving Cousins.

"If the Saints are going to spring Cousins free, they’ll likely need to take on a large portion of his guaranteed money. For an organization with just $29 million in available funds, such a move is far easier said than done. It's especially tricky given Cousins represents a major upgrade to one of Atlanta’s division rivals," wrote Kay.

"Still, the Saints could find a way to orchestrate a deal and instantly elevate themselves into contention. If they offer the right mix of financial benefits, draft capital and a replacement backup, the Falcons could ship Cousins to New Orleans to finish out his career."

Falcons fans would probably disagree that Cousins will make the Saints a contender. While Cousins turned the Falcons into that for the first half of 2024, he ended the year on a very sour note, losing his job to rookie Michael Penix Jr.

But the possibility of Cousins turning the Saints into a contender is exactly why the Falcons shouldn't and likely won't trade the veteran quarterback to New Orleans.

There's little the Saints could offer in return for Cousins that's worth more to Atlanta than knowing its top rival isn't likely to contend in the NFC South this season because of its quarterbacks.

The Falcons are trying to win their division this season. Dealing Cousins could set up Atlanta for future success, but moving him to New Orleans could be costly in the short term.

The Falcons helping the Saints improve, even if it means more draft capital for Atlanta next year, is near the top of general manager Terry Fontenot's "Don't Do" list.

That's why, if it were to happen, it would be shocking. But the likelihood of such a trade is very small.

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