NFL Mock Trade: Atlanta Falcons Trade Kirk Cousins to New Orleans Saints

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins has been on the NFL trade block for months. But since the Pittsburgh Steelers officially signed Aaron Rodgers on June 5, it became almost a certainty that Cousins would begin training camp with the Falcons.

Although he hasn't played in the preseason, Cousins is with the Falcons and preparing to be the No. 2 quarterback behind Michael Penix Jr.

Trade rumors, though, have still linked Cousins to a few different teams around the league. The Tennessee Titans were briefly a possibility after Will Levis' injury. On Tuesday, CBS Sports' Tyler Sullivan named the Los Angeles Rams as a possibility.

But because of their quarterback situation, the most obvious landing spot for Cousins is a team in Atlanta's own division -- the New Orleans Saints.

Let's take a look at what it would take for the Saints to acquire Cousins from their NFC South rival.

Atlanta Falcons-New Orleans Saints Mock Trade

Atlanta Falcons receive 2026 fourth-round pick and $25 million.

New Orleans Saints receive quarterback Kirk Cousins.

It's highly unlikely the Falcons would be willing to send Cousins to the Saints because doing so would directly help a division rival.

The Saints haven't been to the playoffs since 2020. Still, the Falcons have finished in front of the Saints in the NFC South just once over the last four years. Atlanta hasn't swept New Orleans in the regular season since 2017, which is, coincidentally, the last time the Falcons were in the playoffs.

With Spencer Rattler and Tyler Slough behind center, the Saints are expected to be a doormat in 2025. If the Falcons are going to help New Orleans fix its quarterback problem, they are going to want a king's ransom in return.

Why This Trade Makes Sense for Falcons

In April, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the Falcons were seeking a team to accept $20 million of Cousins' $37.5 million contract for the 2025 season. When general manager Terry Fontenot addressed Schefter's report, Fontenot declined to place a number on what they might required.

But for the Falcons to consider moving Cousins to an NFC South team, the Saints are going to have to overpay.

In my proposed trade, the Falcons would receive significant cap relief and move out of "cap hell" for the second half of Penix's rookie contract.

They would also receive one of New Orleans' fourth-round picks for next year. That would help the Falcons, who don't have a first-round pick in 2026.

Why This Trade Makes Sense for Saints

Accepting $25 million of Cousins' 2025 salary is a non-starter for a lot of teams. It might be for the Saints too. Plus, it makes little sense for a team who has missed the playoffs four years in a row to give up draft capital for a 37-year-old quarterback.

But Cousins is significantly better than Rattler or Shough. New Orleans might be an embarassment with either of those signal-callers starting in 2025. Trading for Cousins would be about saving face for this fall.

Cousins isn't an elite quarterback, but he was playing very well in October last year before suffering an elbow injury, coincidentally, at New Orleans in November. If he's healthy and returns to his early 2024 form, he could surprise this fall.

Fantasy Football Implications

Again, a Cousins deal to New Orleans is unlikely. The Falcons could simply take an NFC South trade off the table, and the Saints may not want to overpay for an aging quarterback.

But it's a deal fantasy football managers should want to happen.

Because Cousins is significantly better than Rattler or Shough, the rest of New Orleans' playmakers would see a significant boost in value with Cousins behind center instead. That includes fantasy starters such as running back Alvin Kamara and wide receiver Chris Olave.

Depth receivers Brandin Cooks and Rashid Shaheed and tight end Juwan Johnson don't have much value with Rattler or Shough. But they could with Cousins.

The veteran quarterback going to New Orleans would make for terrific theater too. During the 2025 regular season, the Falcons and Saints face each other the Sunday before Thanksgiving and in Week 18 for the season finale.