The New Orleans Saints are in a position that no team wants to be in, as the Saints don't have have a sure starting quarterback for 2025 at the moment, even after taking one in the NFL draft.
Veteran Derek Carr is still around, but the passer is reportedly dealing with an injury and may not be ready for the start of the season. In the second round of the draft last weekend, the Saints added Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough, but the rookie may be far away from being ready for the starting job.
Also on the roster at quarterback are Spencer Rattler, Jake Haener, and Ben DiNucci, none of whom inspire any confidence.
As a result, Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports identified the Saints as a logical landing spot for veteran passer Kirk Cousins. Cousins was benched last season in favor of rookie Michael Penix Jr., and the veteran was rumored to be a trade candidate this offseason.
However, Cousins has remained on the roster so far as the Falcons look to get something for him instead of simply cutting him.
Regarding Cousins' potential fit in New Orleans, Benjamin offered the following:
We don't expect the Atlanta Falcons to deal the veteran inside the NFC South, nor would New Orleans be willing to eat his inflated contract. If, however, Cousins is eventually cut loose as he reportedly desires, the Saints still need a proven arm, provided Derek Carr is unavailable due to injury and/or discontentment. Yes, they drafted Tyler Shough early, but new coach Kellen Moore might prefer some veteran insurance.
As Benjamin noted, it's hard to see the Falcons trading Cousins within the division. It's also hard to see the Saints taking on that albatross contract, so the team would have to wait until Cousins is released.
With Carr on the mend and Shough needing time to develop, it would make sense to bring Cousins in to keep the ship afloat in 2025.
It's been a rollercoaster for Cousins since joining the Falcons. During free agency in 2024, the quarterback inked a massive four-year, $180 million deal with the Falcons.
However, just over a month later, the Falcons shockingly selected Penix in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft and, as mentioned above, Cousins went on to struggle and be replaced by Penix during the 2024 season.
Even though Cousins got benched in 2024, there is reason to believe he can bounce back in 2025. Cousins tore his Achilles in 2023, which might explain his struggles in Atlanta last season.
Cousins obviously wouldn't be a long-term fix for the Saints, but he could be good enough to make the team relevant in 2025 and teach Shough a thing or two along the way.