The Cleveland Browns are pondering another dramatic move at quarterback. According to the Athletic's Dianna Russini, "it would not be surprising" if current Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins eventually made his way to the Browns via trade.
Based on the conversations I've been hearing, it would not be surprising to see Kirk Cousins end up in Cleveland. pic.twitter.com/bqZ1PZi4AJ
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) April 1, 2025
Russini cites the fact that Cousins previously played under current Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski when he was the offensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings in 2019. The duo led the Vikings offense to 25.3 points per game that year, the most ever for an offense led by Cousins or coached by Stefanski.
The Browns certainly need a quarterback. They finished 3-14 in 2024, and they remain stuck with Deshaun Watson, who recently re-tore his Achilles and still has two years left on a fully guaranteed $230 million contract. Browns owner Jimmy Haslam also recently distanced himself from Watson, describing the three-time Pro Bowler's acquisition as a "big swing and miss."
Cousins has also been rendered disposable on the Falcons. After a promising 4-2 start, Cousins became untenable as a starter late in the 2024 season. The 36-year-old veteran threw a league-high 16 interceptions and fumbled an NFL-high 13 times over his 14 starts, leaving the Falcons no choice but to bench him for 2024 first-round pick Michael Penix.
The Falcons would presumably be delighted to move Cousins, assuming he's willing to waive his no-trade clause. They could save as much as $27.5 million against the 2025 cap by designating him a post-June 1st trade.
What's less clear is whether or not the Browns would be willing to pay the remaining guarantees on Cousins' contract. Cousins has $37.5 million in guaranteed salary over the next two years. That's a sizeable sum for a quarterback who was just benched, and the Browns still have to pay Watson $96 million over that same period, according to overthecap.
Ultimately, a compromise may be what's best for both sides. If the Falcons were willing to pay a portion of Cousins' remaining guarantees, the Browns could more easily fit him under the salary cap. Under those circumstances, the Falcons could still free up significantly more cap space than they would by cutting Cousins or relegating him to the bench.
That's all assuming the Browns actually want Cousins, which is no sure thing. They currently hold the second overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, and they could theoretically take a quarterback like Miami's Cam Ward or Colorado's Shedeur Sanders. A young quarterback on a rookie deal might be a more tantalizing option than Cousins.
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