Is a Kirk Cousins trade more likely after the first round of the NFL Draft?

The first round of the NFL Draft is in the books, and it was an unexpectedly wild night for the Falcons, as they came away with not one but two pass rushers in Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. Atlanta’s single biggest need of the last two decades has been addressed in a significant manner, which Terry Fontenot should be praised for today, even if the Falcons don’t have many more picks at their disposal.

If no more trades are made, Atlanta will pick just three times over the final two days of the draft. However, that might not be their only focus. Several NFL insiders have hinted that this could be the time a Kirk Cousins trade is completed, with Dianna Russini mentioning three interested parties.

“The Browns, Steelers and possibly Vikings could be involved in a Cousins trade,” Russini writes.

If Russini is correct, last night was good for the Falcons in more ways than one. None of those organizations took a quarterback, and while guys like Shedeur Sanders and Jalen Milroe remain on the board, the fact that they weren’t first round picks suggests nobody is expecting them to step in and be a day 1 starter.

The Browns recently signed Joe Flacco to join Kenny Pickett in their quarterback room. As of now, those two will battle for the starting job. However, NFL insiders aren’t completely ruling out Cleveland tripling down and reuniting Kirk Cousins with Keven Stefanski.

The Steelers continue to wait on a decision from Aaron Rodgers, who has said publicly he’s still mulling retirement, but most expect him in black and gold by the time Week 1 arrives. If that happens, Pittsburgh is no longer a landing spot, so it’s something Falcons fans should keep a close eye on in the coming days.

Russini refers to a reunion with the Vikings as the least likely destination, as Minnesota hopes J.J. McCarthy is ready to take over the reins as the team’s starting quarterback. That question, however, won’t be answered until much further down the road. The Vikings should also feel comfortable waiting on a potential Kirk Cousins trade compared to other teams, considering Cousins is already very familiar with the offense.

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Photographer: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire

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