It might not be Aaron Rodgers or bust for the Steelers.
Kirk Cousins is “at the very least” on the Steelers’ radar, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported during a recent appearance on “SportsCenter.”
In a Plan B scenario, Cousins could be needed if the free agent Rodgers decides to retire – or if he doesn’t make up his mind before the brass of owner Art Rooney II, general manager Omar Khan and head coach Mike Tomlin runs out of patience.
“So Rodgers Plan A, Kirk Cousins could be a viable Plan B,” Fowler said on SportsCenter. “After making some calls today, I do believe he’s been on their radar. If something were to fall through with Rodgers, certainly they could reconvene, call Atlanta, and see if they could shake something out. But right now, Rodgers is their guy.”
Of course, the Steelers would have to trade with the Falcons to acquire Cousins – the NFL’s most expensive backup quarterback – and figure out how he fits under the salary cap.
Cousins signed a four-year, $180 million free-agent contract but was benched after only 14 starts because the Falcons wanted to go with rookie first-round draft pick Michael Penix Jr. Head coach Raheem Morris made it clear that Penix Jr. is the unquestioned starter heading into 2025.
The Falcons reportedly asked teams interested in trading for Cousins before last month’s draft to take on at least $20 million of his remaining $37.5 million guaranteed. He will be paid $1.52 million per week during the regular season.
Cousins’ contract does include an out after this year as his final two years are not guaranteed.
Anyone who was expecting the Falcons to just dump an unhappy Cousins has been wrong at every turn.
The Falcons first kept Cousins at the March deadline when $10 million of his salary went from non-guaranteed to guaranteed, and then again during the draft when they could have sought draft-pick compensation to help the 2025 roster.
Another key date is June 1, when the salary-cap penalties for trading Cousins will change.
But Cousins probably won’t come cheap to the Steelers if Rodgers doesn’t join the team, and they have less leverage.
Their current alternatives are journeyman Mason Rudolph, rookie sixth-round pick Will Howard, and career backup Skylar Thompson.
Cousins, 36, is up against a ticking clock on the end of his career. He met with Falcons owner Arthur Blank to discuss options to become a starter somewhere else, but so far there has been no traction.
Maybe Rodgers’ decision – if it ever happens – will create momentum for Cousins.
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