The Cleveland Browns already made one quarterback move this offseason, trading for Kenny Pickett from the Philadelphia Eagles. While Pickett thinks of himself as the presumptive starter, not many around the league believe that will be the case in the regular-season opener. Either through the draft, free agency, or the trade market, the Browns will add another high-profile quarterback.
Myles Garrett recently endorsed Russell Wilson as a potential name who would be a valuable addition to the team. At the same time, one name has been at the center of all speculation surrounding the Browns. Since the start of the offseason, Kirk Cousins has been widely projected to join Cleveland. The most recent news, however, significantly lowers the chances of that happening.
As I've been writing since last week, the #Falcons are keeping Kirk Cousins on the roster -- at least for now. They've paid him the $10M bonus due Monday: https://t.co/iE4tzAQTSC
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) March 15, 2025
NFL News: Kirk Cousins Gets $10 Million Roster Bonus
As reported by NFL insider Tom Pelissero, the Atlanta Falcons will be holding onto Cousins for the foreseeable future. Saturday marked the deadline for the veteran QB's roster bonus. Now that the deadline has passed and Cousins is still on Atlanta's roster, he gets an additional $10 million bonus. This guaranteed amount gets the 36-year-old's salary for the 2025 season up to $37.5 million.
This means that the Falcons will not be releasing Cousins any time soon. This doesn't necessarily rule out a trade, but it certainly feels less and less likely by the day. Considering Cousins' declining performance, age, and contract situation, it's hard to imagine any team, including the Browns, giving up any assets to get him. Plus, the recent reporting suggests that Atlanta has no interest in moving him and wants to keep him around as the most expensive backup quarterback in the NFL.
Despite his struggles in 2024, Cousins is certainly overqualified to be a QB2. He could potentially try to force his way out of Atlanta, but whether they will honor that remains to be seen. The Browns have to start looking elsewhere if they want to resolve their massive QB problem soon.