The Atlanta Falcons made it abundantly clear last season they would be moving forward with Michael Penix Jr. as their starting QB and accepted the fact they would have to eat a huge chunk of cash from the deal they gave Kirk Cousins ahead of the 2024 campaign.
All offseason, there has been speculation about Cousins’ future and if the Falcons would be able to find a trade partner for the veteran quarterback.
The biggest issue the Falcons have run into when even opening discussions with other teams in regards to a potential Cousins trade is tied to the $180 million contract he was given in Atlanta last offseason.
The Falcons are still obliged to pay Cousins $45 million and according to reports, are hoping another NFL team will be willing to take on at least $20 million of that.
Cousins is coming off a season where he led the league in interceptions in only 14 games. He never looked fully healthy or confident during the 2024 season.
While the Atlanta Falcons debate the future of Cousins, recent rumors have emerged this week surrounding tight end Kyle Pitts. Pitts had a ton of hype coming out of college and getting drafted as a game-changing tight end in the first 10 picks of the first round, but he’s underperformed so far in Atlanta.
Pitts made a Pro Bowl after he caught 68 passes for 1,026 yards during his rookie campaign, but has just over 1,200 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in the last two seasons combined.
With reports coming out that the Falcons are taking calls about Pitts and the Cousins situation still unresolved, Bleacher Report believes the Pittsburgh Steelers may make a move to acquire both players in a trade with Atlanta.
BR has the Falcons getting a 2026 2nd-round pick, a 2026 5th-round pick, and a 2027 4th-round pick from the Steelers in exchange for Cousins and Pitts:
Pitts has yet to replicate his rookie success and isn’t under contract beyond this season. Therefore, the Falcons are unlikely to receive a second-round offer for the tight end alone.
In this hypothetical scenario, though, Atlanta offloads Cousins, along with Pitts, to get a second-rounder and a bit more from the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Falcons would also save $27.5 million in cap space by moving Cousins after June 1.
The Steelers are widely expected to add Aaron Rodgers at some point this offseason, which would erase any potential interest in Cousins. Rodgers hasn’t signed a contract yet, though, which leaves Mason Rudolph as QB1 in Pittsburgh. If Rodgers decides to retire or try playing elsewhere in 2025, Cousins could be the Steelers’ next best option.
Cousins, who is over four years younger than Rodgers, would have more potential long-term value to the Steelers anyway.
“As long as Pittsburgh doesn’t have a quarterback, I’ll always keep my eyes open on that,” ESPN’s Peter Schrager told The Pat McAfee Show on Wednesday (beginning around the 1:48:20 mark).
Tight end isn’t a massive need for the Steelers because they have Pat Freiermuth atop the depth chart. Pittsburgh lacks potent pass-catchers after Freiermuth and DK Metcalf, however, and could provide a strong schematic fit for Pitts.
Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith was Atlanta’s head coach when Pitts was drafted.
This is a package trade that could probably only happen if Rodgers shuns the Steelers—or if Pittsburgh surprisingly decides to pivot away from him. Should that happen, however, it might also be the best possible outcome for all involved.
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