Could the Indianapolis Colts trade for Kirk Cousins? It was recently revealed that Cousins feels he was misled when he signed with the Atlanta Falcons last offseason. The Falcons surprisingly drafted fellow quarterback Michael Penix Jr. the following month.
Cousins was benched in favor of Penix last season. Needless to say, it won’t be shocking if Atlanta trades him. Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report listed the Colts as a potential landing spot for Cousins:
“The clock is ticking in Indianapolis for multiple people within the Colts organization. And any interest in Cousins comes with an asterisk based on how quickly general manager Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen lose patience with Anthony Richardson.
As the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft, Richardson probably had a rather lengthy leash entering this offseason, but it’s shortening with each passing month.
The Colts knew something needed to be done. Ballard was open about bringing in competition, and he did so by signing free-agent Daniel Jones. To make matters worse, Richardson reaggravated the shoulder injury he suffered during his rookie campaign.
If Richardson is not ready for the start of training camp and experiences any kind of setback, the Colts should reassess the situation because a lot is riding on this season. Ballard and Steichen could well be entering a make-or-break campaign.
Would they rather have Jones or Cousins trying to save their jobs? The answer seems obvious, even if Indianapolis needs to take on a chunk of the latter’s contract and likely surrender a future asset in return.”
It remains to be seen whether Cousins is traded. If he is, do the Colts make sense?
The Indianapolis Colts Listed as a Landing Spot for Kirk Cousins
Looking Back at His Career
Washington selected Kirk Cousins in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft. It was a surprising move, seeing that the team had already selected fellow quarterback Robert Griffin III second overall in the same draft.
However, due to Griffin’s injuries, Cousins eventually became Washington’s full-time starter. He made his first Pro Bowl during the 2016 campaign as he passed for 4,917 yards and 25 touchdowns.
In 2018, Cousins signed with the Minnesota Vikings on a three-year contract worth $84 million. The Michigan State product would play six seasons with the Vikings, making the Pro Bowl three times. He tore his Achilles during his final season in Minnesota.
Cousins then signed a four-year, $180 million deal with Atlanta in 2024. He passed for 3,508 yards and 18 touchdowns last season before being benched.
Should the Colts Trade for Him?
Like Sobleski noted, Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones will compete for the Colts’ starting quarterback job. With that said, it would be pointless to trade for Cousins, right?
Well, neither Richardson nor Jones has proven to be a franchise quarterback. The Colts could trade for Cousins and have a three-man competition for the starting job.
Cousins has put together a solid career. The four-time Pro-Bowler has had seven 4,000-yard passing seasons. Plus, he holds a 66.9% career completion percentage. Although he’ll turn 37 years old before the season begins, he’s still a decent, but not elite, quarterback.
However, the Colts should just stick with Richardson and Jones. If both players struggle and the team has a horrible season, they can just draft a quarterback like Garrett Nussmeier in 2026.
Main Image: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
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