Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Titans Just Got Solid Backup Plan at QB

Originally posted on Tennessee Titans on SI
By Lane Mills | Last updated Feb 8, 2026 7:00 AM ET

Cam Ward has, in the wake of a fiery rookie campaign, become the safe face of the Tennessee Titans franchise. As he prepares to enter his second season under center, the Titans franchise are (assumedly) working to piece talent around him in order to assist the ongoing process.

Yet, the staff may also need to take a look behind Ward. With long-time unreliable play at the backup quarterback position, it may be time for Tennessee to pony up for a more trustworthy option in that specific role.

Lucky for the Titans, potentially, Kirk Cousins is now set to become a free agent this spring.

Tennessee Could Be a Perfect Suitor

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Atlanta Falcons are expected to release Cousins before the start of the "new league year" in early March. This would, naturally, allow the journeyman passer to choose his landing spot for the 2026-27 season, assuming he'll continue his career.

To the latter point, following a season in which Cousins covered for an injured Michael Penix Jr. and led the Falcons on a 4-0 winning streak to tie things off, Cousins' time in the league doesn't seem to have expired just yet. And, if the QB is open to a backup role, Tennessee would make the perfect suitor.

Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins is expected to be released before the start of the new league year in March, allowing him to choose where or if he wants to play in 2026, per league sources.https://t.co/4sFE7eCgEo
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 7, 2026

When Ward went down early with a shoulder injury in the Titans' Week 18 matchup in Jacksonville against the Jaguars, secondary signal caller Brandon Allen stumbled with the team to a brutal 41-7 defeat.

A Workable Fit For Both Parties

Clearly, in the unfortunate case that Ward may have to miss time, at any point, Tennessee would greatly benefit from a more reliable option in the wings. To boot, if Cousins became that guy, his 14 seasons in the league (including four Pro Bowls) could serve as further fuel to Ward's rapidly growing fire from the sideline.

A world where Cousins settles in Tennessee may not be one where he starts, but if he gets behind Ward and keeps his arm warm regardless, it may be a workable fit for both parties.

If Cousins doesn't become a Titan - a concept that, for the time, is completely hypothetical - Tennessee could potentially pivot to a number of different options to fill that dire opening. Yet Cousins, assuming he's affordable this time around, would provide a bedrock of comfortability in head coach Robert Saleh's first run at competition with the football team in Tennessee.

This article first appeared on Tennessee Titans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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