Insider links Kirk Cousins with AFC playoff team

NFL insider Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk believes the Pittsburgh Steelers could make a move for quarterback Kirk Cousins assuming Cousins doesn't re-sign with the Minnesota Vikings.

"If the Steelers are going to do something at quarterback, they are gonna get a veteran," Florio explained during an appearance on Pittsburgh sports radio station 93.7 The Fan, as shared by Tony Calderone of Steelers Depot and Noah Strackbein of Fan Nation's All Steelers. "They aren't going to roll the dice with a bottom third of the first-round draft pick and hope that the guy develops. I was talking to some people last week who seem to be intrigued at the possibility of the Steelers making a play for Kirk Cousins. And those people were very close to, if not within, the Kirk Cousins camp. There's an acknowledgment that it could happen."

The Steelers previously have been linked with Justin Fields of the Chicago Bears after Pittsburgh's Kenny Pickett at least temporarily lost his QB1 gig to career backup Mason Rudolph this past season. Chicago is widely expected to acquire Fields' replacement via the first selection of this year's draft. 

ESPN's Dan Graziano mentioned that Cousins' contract voids after the deadline for teams to use their franchise tags, meaning Minnesota can only stop the signal-caller from reaching free agency by signing him to an extension before March 12. While the 35-year-old seems willing to stay with the Vikings, his NFL home since 2018, it was suggested when the Atlanta Falcons were speaking with Bill Belichick that Cousins could join Belichick in Atlanta. 

Atlanta ultimately hired Raheem Morris over Belichick. On Wednesday, new Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson told reporters that "all options are on the table" regarding the club's quarterback situation. 

"The Falcons and the Steelers are the two teams that I think the Cousins camp is keeping an eye on," Florio added during the radio segment. 

For what it's worth, Florio has repeatedly hinted that San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan could replace Brock Purdy atop the depth chart with Cousins this spring. Shanahan was Cousins' offensive coordinator with Washington in 2012 and 2013, and Purdy's up-and-down playoff performances could cause his coach to consider looking for an upgrade after Shanahan wanted to sign Tom Brady last offseason.

In short, Minnesota has less than a month to convince Cousins to stick around while knowing that interested clubs could give him a ring as soon as March 12.