Will Rams Lose a Potential Post-Stafford Option?

"Kirk Cousins is in a fascinating situation at the moment," wrote Sullivan. "The veteran is being paid a base salary of $27.5 million this season to serve as the backup to Michael Penix Jr. with the Atlanta Falcons. The club inked Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract last offseason, but benched him at the end of last season to make way for Penix, whom it drafted in the first round that same offseason."

"Trade speculation has run wild around Cousins, but no deal has come across the wire yet. Eventually, Cousins should land in a situation where he's at least rivaling for the starting job, and, given that he's under contract through 2027, it's hard to see him walking away."

Sullivan's prediction: Won't retire.

Here's the issue. If Matthew Stafford retires after 2025, Cousins is on a very short list of players who could either take the Rams' QB1 job or operate as a bridge while McVay trains a rookie quarterback.

Cousins is familiar with McVay, having played for him in the past, but he was also QB1 for Kevin O'Connell with the Minnesota Vikings and for Zac Robinson with the Falcons.

O'Connell was Rams' offensive coordinator in 2021, and Robinson is a former Rams assistant, leaving with Raheem Morris to become the Falcons' offensive coordinator.

In 2016, Cousins threw for over 4,900 yards, the last year he was in McVay's system before McVay took the head coaching job, so there have been multiple cases of Cousins balling out in his system.

In 2021, under O'Connell, Cousins threw for 4,547 yards and 27 touchdowns.

While Cousins is likely to be released or traded by the Falcons after this season, he may also be inclined to retire as he has more money than he needs as he lives a documented frugal lifestyle, he's a father and his wife is a native of Atlanta.

If Cousins does hang it up, that's one option off the board for Los Angeles.