As the Browns close out the dismal 2024 season here and look ahead to the future, Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins, benched two games ago in favor of No. 8 Michal Penix, could be one option for their upgraded quarterback room in 2025.
Most expect the Falcons to release Cousins, 36, before paying him a $10 million bonus in March, and he’ll be free to sign with any team. He’ll likely come at a bargain basement price, with the Falcons – who paid him $90 million for his nine starts – on the hook for $27.5 million minus the veteran minimum of $1.255 million that he’ll get from his new team.
That’s unless he can secure a multi-year commitment from one of at least seven teams expected to be vying for a starting quarterback in the offseason.
With a shortage of quality veterans becoming available in 2025, Cousins will certainly be on the Browns’ radar as they seek bona fide competition for Deshaun Watson, the one sure thing in the quarterback room next season. Among the others due to possibly hit the market are Sam Darnold — whom the Vikings probably won’t let go — Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, Jimmy Garoppolo, Tyler Huntley, Joshua Dobbs, Jacoby Brissett, Jameis Winston and Joe Flacco, with the latter five all spending time in Cleveland over the past two seasons.
A four-time Pro Bowler, Cousins enjoyed one of the best seasons of his NFL career with Kevin Stefanski in his new role as full-time offensive coordinator in Minnesota in 2019.
He set a single-season career-high for passer rating with a 107.4 mark that season, fourth best in the NFL in 2019. Cousins also finished with a career-low six interceptions, while adding 26 touchdowns and a 69.1 completion percentage, fourth in the NFL in 2019. He set a Vikings record for completions in a season with 425 and finished with the second-most passing yards (4,298) and passer rating (107.4) in Vikings history.
So why did Cousins fall off the cliff in Atlanta this season? And why is there any reason to believe he’ll climb back up in 2025?
Cousins underwent surgery in October of 2023 to repair a ruptured Achilles, like Watson did this October. He was back by the start of training camp, which bodes well for Watson, and got off to a hot start, going 6-3 in his first nine starts, with 17 touchdown and 7 interceptions en route to a 101.9 rating. He won NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors twice, and sizzled in a sweep of their NFC South-rival Bucs, throwing for 785 yards, eight touchdowns and one interception.
Then Cousins hit the skids, throwing only 1 touchdown and 9 INTs in his next five starts, going 1-4 in those games to earn a trip to the bench by first-year head coach Raheem Morris.
Cousins insisted he was healthy, noting that “it was more decision-making than anything. I don’t think it’s confidence. You’ve got to make good decisions all the time. If not, you’re going to pay for it.”
He reminded folks, and his future suitors, “I didn’t forget how to play quarterback.”
So why will he rebound in 2025? Observers say Cousins hit the wall in November after working tirelessly to come back from the ruptured Achilles, and that he should come back strong in 2025.
One source noted that the Achilles should also be stronger in 2025 than it was in his first year back — also something to keep in mind for Watson, who will likely remain with the Browns through 2026 in part because of his $73 million cap hit that year and huge acceleration if he’s cut.
The pursuit of Cousins (83-74-2) will likely start immediately after the season, with teams such as Raiders, Saints, Giants, Jets, Steelers and Titans also potentially needing starters. The Browns will consider many other veteran, either via trade or free agency, and will continue to heavily scout the top quarterbacks in the draft, including Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders. With a top three pick in the NFL draft — it could climb all the way to No. 1 by Sunday — the Browns should be able to land one of the best QBs with their first first-round pick since 2021.
It’s not regarded as a strong quarterback class, but the Browns might see it differently.
Regardless of who they bring in, Watson is expected to give those players a run for their money as soon as he’s healthy. He’ll spend some of his offseason working out in Cleveland, and will work out with receivers such as Jerry Jeudy as soon as he’s able. His surgically-repaired right shoulder will also have had another long layoff to heal.
When he’s able to begin trying to reclaim his starting job, he might have to beat out an experienced veteran such as Cousins for the job.
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