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Derek Carr #4 of the New Orleans Saints could be an option for the Cleveland Browns.
There will be tough decisions to make heading into the new league year, which begins March 11. The Atlanta Falcons will most likely release veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins either before — or shortly after — that date.
The Falcons and Cousins reworked his contract just after the regular season ended, giving Atlanta flexibility to move on with minimal immediate financial consequences. However, if he remains on the roster by March 13, he would be owed a fully guaranteed $67.9 million in 2027 salary.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter has already reported that Atlanta is expected to move on from the 37-year-old, so the situation could resolve itself quickly. That said, it doesn’t completely eliminate the possibility of Cousins and the Falcons reconnecting on a new, cheaper deal.
Either way, Atlanta finds itself in a tricky spot entering 2026, especially with Michael Penix Jr. likely still recovering from a torn ACL.
That leaves the new front office — along with head coach Kevin Stefanski — searching for Cousins’ replacement, whether that quarterback is brought in as QB2 insurance or legitimate QB1 competition.
CBS Sports’ John Breech believes one former rival quarterback could make sense — if he even decides to return.
Falcons Linked to Retired Former Division Rival QB
Breech is referring to former Las Vegas Raiders and New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr, who retired in 2025 due to a severe shoulder injury. If Carr were to return, however, he would still technically belong to the Saints, meaning Atlanta would need to complete a trade to acquire him.
“The Falcons feel like a wild card here. For one, it’s highly unlikely that the Saints would want to do anything to help their hated rival and a trade with New Orleans is the only way Atlanta would be able to acquire Carr,” Breech said.
“If the Falcons could get over that hump, adding Carr would certainly be an interesting option. The Falcons obviously have Michael Penix Jr., but new team president Matt Ryan was noncommittal when asked if Penix would be the starting QB in 2026.”
Ryan ultimately placed the responsibility of naming a starter on Stefanski, noting that he, Ryan and new general manager Ian Cunningham would evaluate the entire roster.
Trading within the division — especially between two teams that play twice a year and have no love lost — feels unlikely. But if the price were right, stranger things have happened.
Derek Carr Says He’d Return Under One Condition
Carr recently addressed the possibility of coming out of retirement on his podcast, “Home Grown with David and Derek Carr.”
“Would I do it? Yes,” Carr said of returning. “Would I do it for anybody? Absolutely not.”
He then explained what would make him reconsider.
“I told you two things: I’d have to be healthy and I’d want a chance to win a Super Bowl,” Carr said. “And obviously, that’s a tough thing to find. That’s hard to do. That’s not easy.”
In his final season in 2024, Carr appeared in 10 games and went 5-5, throwing for 2,145 yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions.
If he were to return, it would mark his 12th NFL season — and potentially one of the most surprising quarterback moves of the 2026 offseason.
Shane Shoemaker Shane Shoemaker is a sports journalist covering college football and the NFL for Heavy.com. His work has also appeared in The Sporting News, Athlon Sports, USA TODAY, and ClutchPoints, along with high school sports coverage for the Marion Tribune. More about Shane Shoemaker
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