2026 NFL Free Agency: Veteran QB Kirk Cousins Could End Up with the Jets

Atlanta Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham confirmed Tuesday at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine that the team plans to release veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins at the start of the new league year.

Cousins, who was set to enter the third year of a four-year contract worth $180 million, wasn't successful in Atlanta for a multitude of reasons. You could point to injuries or to the fact that the same franchise that invested nearly $200 million in him drafted a quarterback in the first round of the NFL Draft just weeks later.

However you want to look at it, the fact is that the Cousins era in Atlanta is over — and the veteran could be a good fit for the New York Jets, as Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon explained.

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Should the Jets target the veteran quarterback?

Dec 29, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) celebrates after a victory over the Los Angeles Rams at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

"Veterans Aaron Rodgers and Justin Fields failed in the last two seasons, respectively," Gagnon explained in an article. "Maybe the Jets figure third time's a charm with Cousins, who could at least come in and compete with Fields if the team keeps him on the roster. The Jets are loaded with cap space and are almost certain to miss out on a ready-to-start quarterback despite plenty of draft capital."

It's unclear what the Jets are leaning toward, but if they opt to wait and draft their long-term quarterback in the 2027 NFL Draft, Cousins would be an obvious option for New York.

Part of the 14-year veteran's $180 million deal with the Falcons was $90 million fully guaranteed at signing, making it increasingly likely that he would accept a below-market salary to ensure he lands a starting job.

Cousins, who will be 38 when the 2026 NFL season kicks off, doesn't have much time left as a starting NFL quarterback. He almost certainly has a burning desire to get back on the field after two tumultuous years in Atlanta.

The bottom line, according to Gagnon: "Cousins could be a fit in Frank Reich's offense, and the Jets are desperate enough to do this. They'd also offer Cousins a talented No. 1 receiver and a decent amount of support."

If both sides are interested, there's no reason the deal can't be finalized; New York has over $75 million in cap space available. Cousins would, at most, require one-third of New York's available cash.