Kirk Cousins.
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The Detroit Lions are being linked to Kirk Cousins as a quarterback option for the 2026-27 season, as a backup to Jared Goff.
Former Michigan State University quarterback Kirk Cousins is a free agent in the NFL, following 14 seasons in the league. Most recently, Cousins served as the quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons for two seasons, but split with the team after the 2025-26 season.
So, would Cousins ever come to Michigan to play out the golden years of his NFL days with the Detroit Lions? The Lions, of course, already has a franchise quarterback in Jared Goff, but they could use a deeper quarterback room. Even though they added backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater during the NFL offseason, they could use another solid name on the roster, and Cousins would bring that, at a very high price, albeit.
Cousins originally signed a four-year, $180 million contract with the Falcons with $100 million guaranteed and a $45 million average annual value, according to research from Spotrac, so his going rate is high.
Detroit Lions Analyst Endorses the Idea of Kirk Cousins to the Team
In a Wednesday, April 1 feature for Detroit Jock City, Andrew Hughes lays out the idea of bringing Cousins to the Lions. He notes that the team’s backup quarterback situation is less than ideal for the 2026-27 season.
“Even though (Teddy) Bridgewater has plenty of experience (65 career starts), his mobility is nowhere near where it was since a 2016 ACL tear with the Minnesota Vikings, further limiting his abilities at the position,” he stated in the piece. “He was never a gunslinger, so athleticism always let him find guys on checkdowns. At this point, he’s a shell of what he used to be and hasn’t even started a game since 2022.” Well, to say he’s a “shell” is pretty harsh, but we get his point.
Hughes also wonders if Bridgewater “could handle the wear and tear of a full season.” So, he suggests the Lions look to either a newbie quarterback in the draft to develop or a veteran, such as Cousins.
“Kirk Cousins was designated for a June 1 release by the Atlanta Falcons last month and is actively looking for work,” he notes. “Though he’s in demand, the Lions would do well to inquire, especially given an obvious connection to the coaching staff.”
Kirk Cousins Has a Connection With the Detroit Lions
So, what’s the connection? The Detroit Lions’ new offensive coordinator, Drew Petzing, worked with Cousins in 2018, when Petzing was the assistant quarterbacks coach with the Vikings.
“Even if Cousins is a long shot, the Lions can’t ignore the fact that their QB2 issue isn’t solved,” Hughes notes. “It’s in their best interest to leave no stone unturned to find a legitimate backup for Goff, or else the Lions will be just asking for trouble if Bridgewater is their main insurance policy.”
So, as the 2026-27 NFL season draws closer, Cousins still needs a team, and the Lions could obviously benefit from having him on the roster. But, he would be very expensive, knowing how, well, cheap, the Lions can be with their roster, it would be unexpected to see this deal happen.