The Washington Commanders won't be going up against their former quarterback on primetime in Week 17. But could Kirk Cousins be a realistic option to back up rookie sensation Jayden Daniels in 2025?
Cousins' big-money move to the Atlanta Falcons hasn't gone according to plan. Coming back from a torn Achilles left the veteran signal-caller more hesitant than usual. Some alarming regression over recent weeks forced head coach Raheem Morris' hand with the playoffs still within their grasp.
Atlanta is moving forward with first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. for the final three games of 2024. This is a big call to make, one that casts doubt on whether Cousins will be around next season.
The Falcons will eat up some significant dead-cap money to remove Cousins from the equation. No team is going to trade for him given the financial commitment attached. But releasing quarterbacks for an astronomical sum is getting more commonplace looking at the situations with Russell Wilson, Matt Ryan, and Aaron Rodgers in recent years.
Commanders named as surprise potential landing spot for Kirk Cousins
If this scenario comes to fruition, Cousins' next stop would instantly become a hot topic of discussion. Tyler Brooke from The 33rd Team has some ideas, which surprisingly include the Commanders.
"If [Kirk] Cousins is ready to ride off into the sunset, then going back to where it all began might be a fitting end to his NFL career. While the team is unrecognizable from when Cousins was last there, all the way up to ownership, it could be a great way for him to finish up his NFL career as a backup. The Commanders have found their next franchise quarterback in rookie Jayden Daniels, who is a favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year after a breakout campaign. Cousins might want to look elsewhere to be a starter or a backup with the potential to get some meaningful playing time. However, if he's ready to embrace a backup role, there isn't a more fitting place for him to wrap up his NFL career than Washington."Tyler Brooke, The 33rd Team
This would be a bombshell of epic proportions. It's also highly unlikely unless Cousins accepts one thing above all else.
That his return to Washington would come with no playing time unless it's the preseason, the Commanders are blowing out somebody, or Daniels gets injured.
It's the trajectory most quarterbacks go down late in their careers. From Andy Dalton to Joe Flacco and Washington's current backup Marcus Mariota, most become understudies if they play long enough. Some galvanize their careers and become starters again. Others remain the No. 2 options until the league casts them aside entirely.
Cousins has been an NFL starting-caliber quarterback for a long time. He's accumulated almost 43,000 passing yards and earned four trips to the Pro Bowl. Father Time is catching up with the former Michigan State standout, but he'll probably want one more chance to be QB1 somewhere else if the Falcons cut him loose.
That won't be in Washington.
They could probably get Cousins for pretty cheap considering he'll be getting paid handsomely by the Falcons. However, it might be more trouble than it's worth with the player wanting reps.
Daniels is the guy. That's not up for discussion. Cousins coming back would be a nice story, but the rewards don't outweigh the potential complications attached.