With Aaron Rodgers keeping them in limbo, the Pittsburgh Steelers are still without a starting quarterback. Mike Tomlin seems comfortable rolling with Mason Rudolph. However, the Steelers’ ceiling with Rudolph starting doesn’t seem very high. If they miss out on Rodgers, perhaps the Steelers could pivot to Kirk Cousins. They’d need to work out a trade with the Atlanta Falcons, but Cousins could be a better option than Rudolph. However, Chris Simms believes the Steelers should have exercise caution before trading for Cousins.
“Here’s where I’d be a little worried, buyer beware, if I was trying to get Kirk Cousins, especially in Pittsburgh,” Simms said Monday on Pro Football Talk. “It is risky. One, you’re gonna have to give assets away and trade. This is a team that we know could still need assets. They’re not a perfect football team.
“They’re gonna do that with a guy that we all know did not physically look the same last year. The ball fluttered in the air. He was benched for a rookie in the middle of a playoff run. This is rare stuff. His arm looked weak, and he threw wobblers that hung up in the air for a good part of the year.”
It’s true that Cousins didn’t look like the same player last year. For most of his career, he’s been a solid starter. However, in the middle of the 2023 season, he tore his Achilles. He signed a huge deal with the Falcons last year, but it was clear he was still recovering from that injury.
In 14 games, Cousins threw for 3,508 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions. That’s a brutal touchdown-to-interception ratio. The Steelers saw firsthand how Cousins failed to protect the football. That’s one thing that Mike Tomlin likely won’t tolerate. He puts a lot of stock in his quarterback’s ball security.
There’s some hope that Cousins could be better after another year removed from tearing his Achilles. However, that’s not guaranteed. He’ll be 37 by the time the 2025 season starts. His best days are probably behind him.
Simms is also correct that the Steelers would have to part with some draft capital to acquire Cousins. It seems like the Falcons could wait to move Cousins until after the draft, though. If that ends up being the case, the Steelers could be more inclined to make a trade. They’re slated to receive several compensatory picks next year. That could make them feel more comfortable parting with draft picks.
Cousins has a huge contract, so the Steelers would probably want the Falcons to eat some of his salary. It’s tough to justify investing a lot of money in him, on top of parting with draft assets.
This is all dependent on the Steelers not signing Rodgers. If they can finally get him to agree to a deal, then they won’t need Cousins. It seems like there’s a good chance that happens, but if it doesn’t, it might be worth taking a risk on Cousins. He could be their best option remaining. If he can recapture some of his previous abilities, he could at least be better than Rudolph.
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