The Las Vegas Raiders are looking at any and all options to fix their quarterback situation for 2025.
After missing out on the top six quarterbacks in April’s draft, the Raiders were forced to lean on free-agent signing Gardner Minshew and second-year man Aidan O’Connell under center. Minshew had his struggles, while O’Connell did not do enough to cement himself as the quarterback of the future. While the Raiders will almost certainly be drafting a quarterback in 2025, that does not mean the team will not look to see which veteran options are available.
According to AtoZ Sports’ Wendell Ferreira, one such option that was not previously considered is Atlanta Falcons’ quarterback Kirk Cousins.
“The Raiders basically didn’t have a QB plan in 2024. New general manager Tom Telesco treaded water with Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell, but there needs to be a more serious option next year,” Ferreira said.
“The 2025 draft class is probably not great. However, the Raiders will certainly pick a player at the most important position anyway and see what they get later. Meanwhile, Cousins could be a helpful tool while the young player develops.”
Not even a season after Cousins was a much-ballyhooed signing in Atlanta, his time with the Falcons appears to be approaching the end after the team announced Tuesday that they would bench the veteran quarterback in favor of eighth overall pick Michael Penix Jr.
It is likely the Falcons will look to trade Cousins, but the no-trade clause in the quarterback’s contract gives him control over where he chooses to go next. While Cousins’ poor play this season makes that road difficult to navigate, his contract is not as terrible as it seems at first glance. With $27.5 million remaining in guaranteed money, trading for Cousins essentially means getting a one-year contract for next season with team options in 2026 and 2027.
That all being said, the Raiders would likely prefer not having to go down this road again. The team has swung and missed two years in a row with veteran quarterbacks in Minshew and Jimmy Garoppolo, and a move for Cousins would likely be seen negatively by a fanbase yearning for a franchise savior. Perhaps being in a position to land Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders or Miami’s Cam Ward may blunt the edge a bit, but both are pro-ready enough that they would not need Cousins.
It is highly unlikely that Cousins will be a Raider in 2025. With three games remaining on the year, however, the conversation could shift if the Raiders ruin the fans’ precious tank.
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