Right now, the Pittsburgh Steelers have a quarterback problem. Nothing about what the Steelers front office has done this offseason has made any sense when it comes to the quarterback position. Pittsburgh seemed more than happy to let Justin Fields and Russell Wilson leave in free agency, and now seems just as happy to sit around and wait to see if Aaron Rodgers even wants to play football anymore.
But perhaps there’s another option. An option we’ve talked about before. The Atlanta Falcons have ushered in the future with quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and veteran Kirk Cousins is ready to move on and play somewhere else. This is where the Steelers come in. Instead of signing Rodgers who we assume will not give the team his all after all these theatrics or they could trade for Cousins, who is still excited to play football.
ESPN approached this subject recently and offered up trade scenarios involving Cousins and four different teams. For the Steelers this is what they proposed.
The Steelers send a sixth-round pick, which could become a fifth-round pick for Cousins and cash considerations. This means the Falcons would have to eat part of Cousins’ 2025 salary. The balance between draft compensation and cash considerations is what will drive a move like this. If the Steelers want Atlanta to pay something in the neighborhood of $20 million of Cousins’ $40 million due in 2025, the Steelers could be willing to make it as high as a fourth-round pick that could turn into a third round pick, given the team is set to have two third-round picks in the 2026 NFL draft.