The Steelers are still waiting for QB Aaron Rodgers to decide on his playing future and if he’ll return to Pittsburgh for a second season. In the interim, analysts have floated potential names who could be a Plan B for the Steelers, with Kirk Cousins one that’s come up repeatedly. Appearing on The Rich Eisen Show, NFL insider Tom Pelissero said that the Steelers inquired about trading for Cousins last offseason.
“Kirk Cousins is the one, and I know that they called on him last year and the Falcons at the time didn’t want to trade him, didn’t want to engage in trade talks, but now Kirk Cousins is free,” he said. “Cousins potentially could be an option if they pivot away from Aaron Rodgers, which hasn’t happened yet.”
Pelissero ruled out Russell Wilson and Jimmy Garoppolo as options for the Steelers. There had been rumors last offseason that the Steelers tried to trade for Cousins, but nothing as definitive as how Pelissero put it. Given the team’s prior interest, it wouldn’t be a surprise at all if Cousins is the team’s backup plan if Rodgers doesn’t return.
Signing Cousins would likely make him the Steelers’ starter for next season, and he could serve as a veteran mentor to Will Howard. It wouldn’t preclude Howard from getting a chance at some point this season either. Given that the team has been high on Howard all offseason and the other alternative is to roll with Howard and Mason Rudolph, signing Cousins as the backup plan makes some measure of sense.
Howard hasn’t played in an NFL game yet, including the preseason, because of injury. It’s hard to trust him to be ready to start next season. Having another season to learn from a veteran mentor, be it Rodgers again or Cousins, is smart, and in the case of Cousins, he’s sat behind a young quarterback before. If the Steelers get to a point where they decide they want to see what Howard has, Cousins likely wouldn’t ruffle any feathers with a move to the bench.
He also played fairly well during his stint with Atlanta last season after he replaced an injured Michael Penix Jr. He’s the type of quarterback the Steelers can win with, even if it’s not the most exciting option. It would be yet another season of trying to fill the quarterback gap with an aging veteran and kicking the can down the road to find a long-term starter, but the Steelers don’t have many other options in a weak quarterback draft class. Signing Cousins is the Plan B that probably makes the most sense for the Steelers.