Goodnews: Raiders set to land in a new QB whose wealth of experience will boost the teams success
Is it possible that Kirk Cousins may be dealt to the Las Vegas Raiders for next season due to Atlanta’s quarterback situation?
The Atlanta Falcons pulled off a surprise pick in the NFL Draft a few days ago. Two weeks after Kirk Cousins was signed to a huge contract, the team selected quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick. After Georgia’s quarterback crisis is resolved, fans can now talk about the team’s long-term goals. A podcast featuring sportswriters Bill Barnwell and Robert Mays recently touched on this subject. The media even suggested that Cousins be dealt to the Las Vegas Raiders.
“I was going to inquire as to whether the Raiders are Kirk Cousins’ most likely destination in the event that the Falcons trade him after a year?” stated Barnwell.
“Is there a no-trade clause in his present contract, or not?” Mays answered.
“He does, but I don’t think Kirk’s going to sit there and make $27.5 million next year to sit on the bench if the Falcons are like, ‘Hey, you’re going to sit behind Michael Penix for the rest of this contract, or for another year,'” Barnwell continued. (via Bill Barnwell’s program)
The Falcons disaster
Cousins agreed to a four-year, $180 million contract with the Falcons back on March 13. Everyone seemed to understand the strategy, that is, until draft day. Which raises the question: Why did the group choose to start a different quarterback? Several things might be involved.
First off, the Falcons have long-term intentions for signal callers as evidenced by their draft choice of Penix, even if Cousins is already 35 years old. The Falcons “have the quarterback for now and have the quarterback for the future,” after all, according to Atlanta General Manager Terry Fontenot. (according to Sonny Giuliano of ClutchPoints)
Second, it might be related to Cousins’ Achilles issue. Even though the four-time Pro Bowler was playing well before to suffering an injury last year, a torn Achilles might have an effect on his game in the long run and could also be an indication that aging is gradually catching up with him. Notably, Cousins sustained the injury in a non-contact scenario.
Even though he will still probably start the next season, having a player like Penix in the quarterback room opens up a lot of possibilities for the team
Kirk Cousins to the Raiders?
If things work out the way Barnwell and Mays said they would, Cousins will join a Raiders team that is in dire need of a quarterback. In an attempt to locate the ideal playcaller behind center, the squad started three different players in the previous season.
Cousins will undoubtedly start ahead of players like Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell. Although the quarterback’s age is a concern, he was having a fantastic season prior to the injury.
Cousins finished the previous season with 2,331 passing yards and 18 touchdowns in eight games. During the regular season in 2022, the quarterback completed 424 out of 643 passes (64.9%) for 4,547 yards and 29 touchdowns.
In the event that the Raiders make a trade for the quarterback, Cousins will be able to use weapons like Brock Bowers, Davante Adams, and Jakobi Meyers. However, this is all conjecture, so the only thing Raiders supporters can do is watch and see how the current situation in Atlanta plays out.
