The New York Giants’ eventual quarterback decision this offseason will shape the remainder of general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll’s respective tenures with the team.
Will they go all-in on a young quarterback prospect in the draft? Will they look to trade for a veteran QB, or sign one in NFL free agency? The best method could be to double down at the position, adding both a veteran and a rookie, and Kirk Cousins might be an ideal bridge starter in that scenario.
On January 15, SNY Giants and New York Jets insider Connor Hughes named Cousins as a starting quarterback that he’d “keep an eye on” while answering a question about the possibility of either Justin Fields or Aaron Rodgers joining Big Blue.
“The Pittsburgh Steelers are among the most effectively run organizations in the NFL,” Hughes responded. “They chose to move on from Fields despite his 4-2 mark for a reason. The [Chicago] Bears had no problem trading him, too.”
“A source of mine in Pittsburgh implored me to ‘watch the tape’ when I questioned moving from Fields to Russell Wilson,” the reporter went on. “There are guys running open, most players on their first reads, and Fields either wouldn’t pull the trigger or would miss them. I do not believe he should be an option for that reason.”
Hughes also nixed the Rodgers idea, reasoning that the current NYJ signal-caller will “want to go somewhere he’s familiar with if he doesn’t return to the Jets.”
That’s when he settled on Cousins as the candidate that makes the most sense.
“Most around the NFL believe [Cousins will] be an effective quarterback again once he’s further removed from the Achilles injury,” Hughes explained. “He’ll also be dirt cheap to sign if the [Atlanta] Falcons cut him.”
Kirk Cousins’ Potential Price Tag Could Appeal to Giants
Hughes finished by labeling Cousins the “perfect bridge option for the Giants” being that “they won’t have to force the rookie into action before he’s ready.” But the other reason is his potential “dirt cheap” price tag that the SNY reporter mentioned.
To be clear, this likely only works if the Falcons release Cousins. A trade would be way too expensive for Schoen or any other suitor to seriously consider, especially since Cousins did not live up to his recent $180 million contract in Atlanta.
The Falcons have publicly stated that they’re willing to hold onto the four-time Pro Bowl QB as their backup, but that feels like an attempt at a bluff. Atlanta would recoup much more 2025 cap space in a post-June 1 trade, per Over the Cap, but what team would trade for a quarterback after Organized Team Activities (OTAs) are already over with?
Although the Falcons don’t really have many great options, the two likeliest scenarios would be holding onto Cousins and hoping for an injury to another franchise’s starting quarterback in training camp or designating him as a post-June 1 release and ridding themselves of the distraction.
If the Falcons choose door number two as many expect, they’ll incur a dead money charge of $40 million in 2025, but they’ll also save $45 million in each of the next two seasons (per Over the Cap).
Cousins would then turn into a very appealing free agent — similar to Russell Wilson last offseason — because his 2025 salary would already be paid in full (outside of a league minimum contract).
Would Kirk Cousins Be Interested in the Giants? And Should NYG Be Interested in Him?
When discussing if Cousins is a realistic QB candidate for the Giants, the last two remaining questions involve interest.
First, why would Cousins choose to join Big Blue with his professional career as a starter potentially on the line? The only honest answer to that question is that the Giants might be the only team guaranteeing him a Week 1 job.
The Cleveland Browns profile as a team to watch when it comes to Cousins, being that Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski has a history working with Cousins going back to Minnesota. Cleveland might also be in the market for a QB stopgap after Deshaun Watson suffered a setback in his recovery.
Along with Cousins’ potential interest, it’s fair to wonder if Schoen and Daboll would be interested in him. The 36-year-old threw a career-worst 16 interceptions in 2024 — in just 14 starts — and his lack of mobility could prove troublesome behind the Giants’ offensive line.
Having said that, the G-Men are desperate. They need a starting-caliber quarterback, and Cousins is still that, for better or for worse. But it’s certainly not the match made in heaven that Hughes makes it out to be.
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