Nov 10, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) throws the ball downfield against the New Orleans Saints during the second half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Should the Saints Trade for Spartan Legend Kirk Cousins?

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Dominic Minchella | Last updated May 11, 2025 12:00 PM ET

The talk of the National League Football offseason has been surrounded by question marks when it comes to the landing spot of former Michigan State Spartan Kirk Cousins. As it currently stands, Cousins will be playing football with the Atlanta Falcons come the fall, unless something interesting happens.

The trade talks for Cousins have been going on all offseason long, as the Falcons benched the MSU product down the stretch of last season for rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. Making too much money to be viewed as a backup to a rising quarterback, Cousins has asked about the likelihood of him packing his bags and playing elsewhere.

The former Spartan hasn't seen any movement, as some believe it's easier for him to stay in Atlanta rather than uproot his family and move elsewhere. However, one opportunity had opened up that another NFL franchise could be calling the front office in Atlanta.

The New Orleans Saints' veteran quarterback, Derek Carr, announced his retirement on Saturday from the National Football League. While the Saints did acquire several quarterbacks from the 2025 NFL Draft, it remains unknown if they will throw one of them into the deep end to start their NFL careers.

Cousins has the experience that the Saints could be intrigued by. But what they wouldn't be intrigued by is the salary he is making. The Falcons signed Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal with $100 million guaranteed. For 2025, according to Spotrac.com, Cousins is set to make a base of $27.5 million.

"Carr signed a four-year, $150 million contract with the Saints in 2023," wrote Sports Illustrated's Tim Capurso. "In an effort to free up cap space, the Saints in March restructured Carr's contract, lowering his '25 cap hit to $20.4 million at the time. Carr's '26 cap figure was set to balloon to $69.2 million."

Seeing that New Orleans has the money to spend, potentially, this is an avenue that they indulge in. With the Saints missing the playoffs last season and having several young quarterbacks, bringing in a veteran in the MSU legend would be a nice touch for the franchise in its future endeavors.

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This article first appeared on Michigan State Spartans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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