Dec 8, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) throws the ball against the Minnesota Vikings during the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Steelers Get Major Price Tag for Falcons QB

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI
By Jack Markowski | Last updated May 27, 2025 9:00 AM ET

If for whatever reason Aaron Rodgers turns down the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team should now have a better understanding of what it would take to pry Kirk Cousins away from the Atlanta Falcons.

Though 2024 first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. is pencilled in as its starting quarterback after he took over for Cousins late last season, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported that Atlanta doesn't appear willing to move the 36-year-old unless a team is open to eating a sizable portion of his remaining money and/or parting ways with considerable draft capital in order to acquire him.

“I had some conversations with people this week that led me to believe that Cousins is, at the very least, on the Steelers’ radar if something were to fall through on Rodgers," Fowler said on SportsCenter. "Cousins has $37.5 million in guarantees between this year and next year. Somebody’s on the hook for that money, whether it’s $4 million, $20 million, whatever it is. But the feeling around the league is that Atlanta has not been willing to budge on this. They haven’t shown a lot of interest in trading Cousins. It would take a hefty price tag for another team to wiggle that out."

#Steelers have sights set on Aaron Rodgers and have Mason Rudolph in the fold - is Kirk Cousins a viable Plan B?@SportsCenter with @aminajadeTV pic.twitter.com/E7rmr6WWDG
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) May 26, 2025

Fowler added that Pittsburgh may view Cousins as its Plan B behind Rodgers while also being his only hope of earning a starting job away from the Falcons at the moment, with no other teams exhibiting interest or profiling as potential landing spots.

Numerous NFL insiders have connected the four-time Pro Bowler to the Steelers throughout the offseason, but speculation will only ramp up if and when it's clear that Rodgers has zero intentions of suiting up for the team in 2025, and there's no signs pointing in that direction right now.

Cousins signed his four-year, $180 million free agent deal with the Falcons last offseason after tearing his ACL the year prior as a member of the Minnesota Vikings. In 14 starts before being supplanted by Penix, he threw for 3,508 yards, 18 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.

While Cousins does have a no-trade clause, he'd almost certainly waive it in a scenario where he'd land in Pittsburgh and become the team's starter.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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