Shocking Projection Lands Kirk Cousins with Former Rival
Where will Kirk Cousins suit up in 2026?
Cousins’ relationship with the Falcons immediately went sour after the Atlanta Falcons selected Washington quarterback, Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, just one month after signing Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal.
The former Pro Bowl signal caller was named the Falcons’ Week 1 starter and remained as such for the first 14 games of the 2024 season. Cousins struggled during his first season in Atlanta, throwing 18 touchdowns to 16 interceptions during his first season in Atlanta – leading to the club handing the keys over to Penix for the final three games of the season, where he did enough to impress head coach, Raheem Morris, who named the first-year signal caller the club’s starter for the 2025 season.
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However, Cousins would be thrust back into the starting role foe the Falcons after Penix went down with a torn ACL during the team’s 30-27 overtime loss against the Carolina Panthers on Nov. 16. The ACL tear would be Penix’s third of his career, dating back to his time in the collegiate ranks at Indiana and Washington.
Cousins’ return as the Falcons’ starter as a successful one as the veteran led the “Dirty Birds” to a 5-2 record, nearly catching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers in the NFC South race.
The successful end of 2025 for Cousins wasn’t enough to save Raheem Morris or general manager, Terry Fontenot’s jobs as Falcons owner, Arthur Blank relieved both of their duties following the end of the regular season.
New head coach, Kevin Stefanski and general manager, Ian Cunningham decided to go in a different direction at the quarterback position, announcing that the club would be parting ways with Cousins when the new league year began on March 13, which indeed officially happen on that date.
In a prediction by ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, Cousins could find himself returning to the NFC North … but not with the Minnesota Vikings, this time, with the Green Bay Packers, as insurance for franchise signal caller, Jordan Love.
“The Packers need a backup quarterback after losing Malik Willis to the Dolphins in free agency. They run play-action at one of the highest rates in the league under Matt LaFleur. Jordan Love has missed two games to injury in each of the past two years, so the Packers have to be conscious of their need to have a backup they trust if Love can’t go. While LaFleur might try to find value with another prospect in the same way the Packers once did when they traded for Willis, Cousins would be a solid option as the backup behind Love in 2026.”
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For the Packers, Cousins would provide a stable, veteran backup option Love, who’s had his fair share of injuries over the past two seasons.
Love’s dealt with several ailments in both 2024 and 2025 – including a concussion as well as thumb, elbow, groin, shoulder, and MCL issues, causing him to miss four games during that span.
While Love was on the sidelines for a handful of games over the past two seasons, it earned now-former backup, Malik Willis a three-year, $67.5 million deal with the Miami Dolphins, this off-season to become Tua Tagovailoa’s replacement as the Dolphins starting quarterback.
Ironically enough, Tagovailoa is now expected to be Cousins’ replacement as the Falcons’ starter after signing a one-year, league minimum deal with Atlanta to serve as insurance for Penix Jr., who could miss the beginning of the 2026 season while he continues his recovery from the aforementioned torn ACL.
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This story was originally published March 17, 2026 at 10:06 AM.