Tyler Shough, Spencer Rattler, and Jake Haener don’t make up a quarterback room that strikes fear into opponents, but it’s what the New Orleans Saints are working with following Derek Carr’s retirement.
Chances are the Saints’ coaching staff planned to start Carr in Week 1 before transitioning to Shough when the time seemed right. New Orleans selected the former Louisville signal-caller in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft — a bit higher than many projected him to go.
Throwing Shough into the starting role right away seems like a disaster waiting to happen, meaning the Saints may need to pursue an established quarterback in free agency or on the trade market.
Saints Trade Idea Brings Kirk Cousins to New Orleans
The Atlanta Falcons wasted no time ushering in the Michael Penix Jr. era, despite signing veteran Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract last offseason. Cousins started 14 games for the Falcons in 2024, leading them to a 7-7 record before being benched in favor of Penix in Week 16.
Not only could Cousins serve as an ideal bridge quarterback for the Saints, but there’s also a chance he returns to the form he showed with the Minnesota Vikings. Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay proposed a trade sending Rattler, a 2026 fifth-round pick and a 2027 sixth-round pick to the Falcons in exchange for Cousins.
“If the club wants to compete in 2025, it must swing a trade for Kirk Cousins—the last remaining proven veteran who is realistically available,” Kay wrote. “While Cousins wants out, the Falcons have made it clear they won’t outright release him and are willing to pay the nearly $28 million he’s owed for the upcoming season to work as their backup.”
Cousins ranked as the No. 24 QB in PFSN’s QB+ metric last season, making him a premier — yet pricey — backup. Rattler started several games for the Saints in 2024. While he’s not on Cousins’ level, he’s far less expensive and could suffice as Atlanta’s backup.
Career-high 509 passing yards ✅
4 TDs ✅KIRKO IS UNREAL 🤩 pic.twitter.com/Ik9r4oLOG2
— NFL (@NFL) October 4, 2024
The Falcons have no shortage of weapons surrounding their quarterback, including Drake London, Bijan Robinson and Kyle Pitts. Despite Cousins’ underwhelming play, the Falcons’ offense still ranked No. 10 in PFSN’s Offense+ data. Giving Penix a full season under center — without the pressure of being replaced — could elevate the unit to one of the NFL’s best.
“If the Saints are going to spring Cousins free, they’ll likely need to take on a large portion of his guaranteed money. If they offer the right mix of financial benefits, draft capital and a replacement backup, the Falcons could ship Cousins to New Orleans to finish out his career,” Kay said.
Although Cousins won’t be a long-term solution for the Saints, neither was Carr. He would simply serve to keep them afloat until Shough is ready to take over.
