The Kirk Cousins story has been a fascinating one ever since his exit from the Minnesota Vikings. Building a strong career with the franchise, he made his way to the Atlanta Falcons, who drafted a quarterback in the first round just months after signing him.
Now with a third quarterback entering the fray, his tenure seems close to over. But as he continues to hunt for his next role, one analyst believes the Green Bay Packers could be a viable option as he returns to the NFC North.
Kirk Cousins Becomes the Backup for the Packers
After building his value with the then-Washington Redskins, Cousins joined the Vikings and immediately became a perennial Pro Bowl threat. For six seasons, he was the franchise’s consistent starter, helping them make multiple playoff appearances.
However, he could never get them over the hump, prompting the organization to make a change when he went down with an Achilles injury. But the Falcons were still intrigued by him as a guiding force for Michael Penix Jr.
After giving Kirk Cousins a four-year, $180 million contract, the team brought him in without his knowledge that the Penix Jr. situation was developing. However, after a rough first year as a starter, Atlanta moved on, inserting their first-round rookie under center.
That trend continued this year, but Cousins got the job back after the youngster needed season-ending surgery for a partially torn ACL. In 9 games, the veteran threw for 1,721 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions.
Ranking at number 30 on PFSN’s QB Impact, he was average at the position. But for an accurate veteran quarterback, a market might still exist, especially on teams where the quarterback is susceptible to injury.
As a result, Bill Barnwell of ESPN believes the Packers could be a viable landing spot for him. With the Falcons signing Tua Tagovailoa on a one-year deal, the Cousins era is coming to an end in Atlanta.
“They run play-action at one of the highest rates in the league under Matt LaFleur. Jordan Love has missed two games to injury in each of the past two years, so the Packers have to be conscious of their need to have a backup they trust if Love can’t go.”
Even though Barnwell admitted that other avenues could be on the table for Green Bay, he still argued, “Cousins would be a solid option as the backup behind Love in 2026.”
Better than Malik Willis, per Barnwell. In two starts last season, Willis impressed a lot of teams by completing over 80% of his passes in both outings, while remaining a threat on the ground as well.
And the Miami Dolphins bit the bullet and gave him a three-year contract. Now, Green Bay faces a lack of quality backup options to Jordan Love. That is where Barnwell’s idea of Cousins to Packers comes to life.
