ESPN Creates Steelers, Falcons QB Trade

The Pittsburgh Steelers have often been mentioned as a landing spot for Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins in a world where they don't sign Aaron Rodgers.

Plenty of uncertainty remains as to if or when Rodgers will notify the Steelers of his decision, but the team can't wait around forever.

If Pittsburgh does pivot to Cousins for one reason or another, ESPN's Ben Solak drew up a mock trade that he believes could get the job done: Atlanta would receive a 2026 sixth-round pick that could become a fifth-rounder with performance conditions, and Pittsburgh would land the four-time Pro Bowl alongside cash considerations.

"The Steelers' quarterback room is about as thin as one could get ahead of training camp," Solak wrote. "And if signing Aaron Rodgers falls through, the Steelers must trade for a veteran who can start. Mason Rudolph is currently No. 1 on the depth chart.

"Cousins a good fit for coordinator Arthur Smith's offense, which doesn't need its quarterback to move much out of the pocket. This late of a draft pick is close to Cousin's value, and I'd imagine the Falcons are still willing to swallow $20 million -- maybe even more -- of his salary to get this deal done."

Cousins signed a four-year, $180 million deal in free agency with Atlanta last offseason despite tearing his Achilles while with the Minnesota Vikings during the 2023 season.

The Falcons, however, covered all of their bases by taking Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He stole the starting job from Cousins in Week 16 and will remain in that role during his sophomore season, leaving the veteran signal caller without a clear path towards playing time.

Cousins will make $27.5 million in salary this year while carrying a cap hit of $40 million, though that number is set to jump up to $57.5 million in both 2026 and 2027.

As his contract is currently constructed, however, the Falcons or whoever ultimately acquires Cousins could open up $35 million in cap space by cutting him with a post-June 1 designation next offseason, per Over the Cap.

The Steelers would still likely have to take on a sizable chunk of change in order to land him, but if they feel that bringing in a starting-caliber quarterback over Rudolph is still necessary even if they don't end up with Rodgers, then perhaps the organization would be comfortable pursuing Cousins.