Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins could be headed for a reunion with Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski.
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins could be headed for a reunion with Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski. / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
Kirk Cousins may not be an Atlanta Falcons quarterback for much longer.
The 36-year-old Cousins, who was benched after Week 15 for first-round rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr., informed Falcons owner Arthur Blank in a meeting March 12 of his hopes of playing for a team where he can start.
Such options are dwindling during the NFL's legal tampering period -- but the Cleveland Browns remain a strong bet for Cousins's services, so much that The Athletic's Browns beat writer, Zac Jackson, deemed it a probable outcome.
"It feels like the Browns will wait on Kirk Cousins as their likely 2025 opening day starter and draft a quarterback in April," Jackson wrote.
In a later radio appearance on Cleveland's 92.3 The Fan, Jackson said Cousins will "probably" be a Brown "this weekend," citing Cousins's $10 million roster bonus in Atlanta if he's still on the roster March 17.
Jackson added most feel the Falcons won't pay Cousins's bonus, meaning a potential parting of ways on Sunday or sooner.
"Kirk Cousins always has been No. 1 plan -- that's kind of been out there since December," Jackson said.
Cousins signed a four-year contract worth up to $180 million with the Falcons last March. He started only 14 games during the 2024 season, completing 66.9% of his passes for 3,508 yards, 18 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.
Over his final five starts, Cousins threw only one touchdown and nine interceptions while the Falcons went just 1-4. He later said he suffered right elbow and right shoulder injuries in a Week 10 loss to the New Orleans Saints, which started his slide.
But the Browns appear steadfast in their pursuit of Cousins.
Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski, who was the quarterbacks coach and, later, offensive coordinator for Cousins and the Minnesota Vikings from 2018-19, called Cousins a "great football player and a great person" when speaking with Atlanta Falcons on SI last March at the 2024 NFL owners meeting.
"Kirk is as hard a working player as I've ever been around," Stefanski said. "He's so intelligent, great, great teammate. He's going to push his teammates but an extremely talented football player."
And evidently, Stefanski wants to add those qualities to his locker room -- sooner than later.