The Pittsburgh Steelers proceed to attend for a call from free agent QB Aaron Rodgers, but when issues don’t work out with Rodgers, the Steelers have an alternate plan. Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Atlanta Falcons QB Kirk Cousins has been on the Steelers “radar” and the crew might flip to him as a plan B in the event that they don’t signal Rodgers.
“So Rodgers plan A, Kirk Cousins may very well be a viable plan B. After making some calls immediately, I do consider he’s been on their radar. If one thing have been to fall via with Rodgers, actually they may reconvene, name Atlanta, see if they may shake one thing out. However proper now, Rodgers is the man,” Fowler stated on SportsCenter.
Cousins signed a four-year, $180 million contract with the Falcons final offseason, however he struggled with the Falcons coming off a torn Achilles he suffered in 2023 with the Minnesota Vikings. He was benched in Week 16 in favor of rookie Michael Penix Jr., and there have been rumblings all offseason that the Falcons might commerce Cousins.
The issue for Atlanta is that there hasn’t been a lot of a marketplace for Cousins, and the Steelers appear to view him as a backup choice to signing Rodgers, who nonetheless stays a free agent. Rodgers hasn’t publicly issued a lot assurances on his taking part in future, and retirement stays a risk for him. With OTAs for the Steelers starting subsequent week and necessary minicamp starting June 10, the Steelers might need to have a solution from Rodgers by not less than the beginning of minicamp.
In the event that they don’t have a solution, the crew might look to maneuver on. Cousins represents the following greatest accessible possibility. He possible wouldn’t value a lot, and the Steelers might look to have interaction shortly in the event that they don’t really feel they’ll wind up touchdown Rodgers. Because it stands now, the Steelers are nonetheless content material on ready for Rodgers to decide, however Cousins represents a viable different.
It’s not the primary time that the Steelers have been linked to Cousins, as NFL Media insider Ian Rapoport additionally reported that the Steelers are nonetheless a risk for Cousins. It will be a little bit of a twist in Pittsburgh’s quarterback saga in the event that they turned to Cousins, however with the crew nonetheless in search of a quarterback, it could make sense that they attempt to purchase him if issues go sideways with Rodgers.
Pittsburgh is the one true quarterback-needy crew remaining that might theoretically commerce for Cousins. Whereas it appears unlikely proper now, buying Kirk Cousins may very well be an actual risk in just a few weeks in the event that they don’t have a solution from Rodgers.
