Kirk Cousins.
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Former Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins is garnering some "serious interest" in the NFL from one team in free agency.
The Minnesota Vikings and quarterback Kirk Cousins were together from 2018 to 2023, and they shared some special moments together, but the two parties famous parted ways in March of 2024. Now, Cousins is a free agent once again after a period with the Atlanta Falcons.
As usual, Cousins is an in-demand free agent. His name is being mentioned a lot in NFL free agency, which officially kicked off on Wednesday, March 11. Even though he’s past his prime, Cousins is still a solid player with reliable numbers, and he could also be a mentor to a budding quarterback.
Cousins was initially drafted by the Washington Redskins, now the Commanders, in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL draft as the 102nd overall pick out of Michigan State University. After leaving the Vikings, he signed a four-year, $180 million contract, with the Falcons, according to Spotrac research.
Now, there’s one particular team who’s really interested in Cousins, and they think he would make a good mentor for their young quarterback.
Kirk Cousins is Garnering Interest From NFL Team With New Quarterback
One team that’s very much interested in Cousins, according to the Athletic’s Dianna Russini, is the Las Vegas Raiders.
“Expect the Las Vegas Raiders to show interest in Kirk Cousins as they look for a veteran QB addition to help develop presumptive No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza,” she stated on X on Wednesday.
Earlier the offseason, the Las Vegas Raiders made the move to release quarterback Geno Smith after just one season with the franchise. Smith and the Raiders notched two wins in 15 games last season, and he tossed 17 interceptions, the highest in the NFL for the 2025-26 season.
Smith’s leaving makes room for a veteran such as Cousins to be on the team’s roster. Cousins isn’t in his prime, but he can still be highly beneficial to a team like the Raiders, especially if he’s going to mentor Mendoza and help the budding quarterback develop and move to the next level.
Another Team Interested in Kirk Cousins
The Pittsburgh Steelers are waiting to see if Aaron Rodgers is coming back for another season, but they’re also interested in Cousins, according to a report.
“They’re supposedly waiting for Aaron Rodgers,” Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk says in a Tuesday, March 10 feature. “If they do for the rest of the week, they’ll likely miss out on multiple affordable options — like Geno Smith, who could possibly be had for $1.3 million. Other potential candidates include Kirk Cousins.”
According to NFL insider Jason La Canfora, the team likes Cousins, especially is Rodgers bails. “Former Vikings playoff quarterback Kirk Cousins is among the top options for Pittsburgh if Rodgers is not back, according to league sources, while the team is legitimately high on the upside of second-year quarterback Will Howard as well,” La Canfora stated in a Sports Boom report.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter has also asserted that Kirk Cousins is a “definitely” an option for the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to sports personality Andrew Fillipponi, if Rodgers decides to not play for them in the 2026-27 season.