The Pittsburgh Steelers, Las Vegas Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs, and Cincinnati Bengals could target a veteran quarterback in NFL free agency.

USA Today’s Jacob Camenker believes the Steelers, Raiders, Chiefs, and Bengals are the best landing spots for Cousins through one week of free agency.

Cousins was released by the Atlanta Falcons this offseason after just two seasons. The 37-year-old’s tenure in Atlanta didn’t go as planned after he signed a $180 million contract over four years with the Falcons in 2024.

Though Cousins’ time with the Falcons can be considered a failure, the Michigan State product did play well in eight starts in 2025, posting a 5-3 record while tossing 10 touchdowns and five interceptions.

Cousins is one of the top quarterbacks left on the free agency market and could garner interest from Pittsburgh, Las Vegas, Kansas City, and Cincinnati.

The Steelers are currently without a starting quarterback as they await Aaron Rodgers’ decision. If Rodgers decides to retire, Cousins could emerge as a stopgap option for Pittsburgh in 2026.

According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, the Raiders are interested in signing Cousins to back up and mentor their presumed No. 1 overall pick, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. Cousins would be a nice fit in Las Vegas and could make the transition to the NFL easier for Mendoza.

As for the Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes may not be ready for Week 1 as he recovers from a torn ACL. If that’s the case, signing Cousins to start the season until Mahomes is back would be a savvy move by general manager Brett Veach.

Due to Joe Burrow’s injury history, it would be wise for the Bengals to add an experienced backup quarterback. Though they did sign Josh Johnson, there’s no denying that Cousins would be a much better option for Cincinnati than the unproven journeyman.

Cousins should land on a team sooner rather than later, as his experience and solid play to end 2025 should land him a high-quality backup role, and there’s still a slight chance he can find his way into a starting spot in 2026.

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