With multiple quarterbacks going down in Week 2, we examine the market for Falcons QB Kirk Cousins.

QB injuries are piling up even before Week 2 has finished:

– J.J. McCarthy (ankle)
– Jayden Daniels (knee)
– Justin Fields (concussion)
– Joe Burrow (turf toe)
– Brock Purdy (turf toe) pic.twitter.com/cykWIcAyS1

— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) September 15, 2025

The Atlanta Falcons had the option to release backup quarterback Kirk Cousins over the offseason but chose to keep him around despite his hefty price tag. The veteran signal-caller has a $27.5 million salary for the 2025 season and overall cap hit of $40 million.

Instead of cutting ties with Cousins, the team opted to retain him as Michael Penix Jr.’s backup and wait to see if any potential landing spots emerged around the league. In Week 2, a handful of quarterbacks suffered injuries, including J.J. McCarthy of the Vikings and Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow.

McCarthy suffered a high ankle sprain during Minnesota’s 22-6 loss to the Falcons on Sunday night. The second-year quarterback is expected to miss two-to-four weeks. Burrow injured his toe and essentially out for the rest of the 2025 season after receiving a three-month recovery time.

That’s not all, though. Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels is battling a knee injury. Jets quarterback Justin Fields has a concussion, and San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is out with turf toe.

While most of these injuries aren’t expected to linger for very long, the more quarterbacks that get hurt, the more likely it is that someone will trade for Cousins. If you’re a team with playoff hopes, someone like Cousins is an attractive option, assuming you have $27.5 million in cap space available.

For a team like the Bengals, who spent considerable money to retain Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins among others, acquiring Cousins is something that would have to discussed internally at the very least. However, Jake Browning played well in place of Burrow two years ago, and did so again on Sunday.

The Vikings have the most familiarity with Cousins, plus Kevin O’Connell knows he can get the most out of the veteran quarterback. Of course, Minnesota could get McCarthy back in a few weeks, and therefore, may not feel the trade is worth it.

Playing in a competitive NFC North, though, perhaps the team won’t want to risk giving up a potential playoff spot while waiting for McCarthy.

The New York Jets aren’t expected to be without Fields for very long, but the team is 0-2 and may want to go in a different direction if things get worse.

Last on our list, and perhaps the most unlikely scenario, would be the Washington Commanders trading for Cousins. Jayden Daniels has a knee injury, but the severity isn’t known at this time. If the 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year has to miss an extended period of time, trading for Cousins would make sense.

For now, Cousins remains the backup to Michael Penix Jr. until further notice.