Jets predicted to ditch Justin Fields in bold trade deadline move for Falcons’ $180M QB

The Atlanta Falcons weren’t kidding when they said they were holding on to Kirk Cousins as their backup quarterback. With OTAs and mandatory minicamp now concluded, Cousins still remains in Atlanta.

Cousins, of course, will back up second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who took the reins from the veteran in the final three games last year.

That was apparently a large enough sample size for head coach Raheem Morris to be satisfied with making Penix his starter for 2025 — or, if nothing else, to justify Penix’s No. 8 overall selection despite Atlanta signing Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal.

Nevertheless, the quarterback situation in Atlanta has been speculated on all offseason, particularly regarding where Cousins might end up.

Those landing spots have seemingly all dried up now since Aaron Rodgers signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers. For now, Cousins appears to be embracing his new role.

“Michael is going to do great,” Cousins said, per the team site. “He is going to have a great career. He is off to a great start, and he has all of the tangibles and intangibles that you need to be successful. I am just here to support him as he needs it. But, I also don't need to be in his ear so much that I am another weight, another voice. I just want to be able to support as I can, and he knows that.”

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That doesn’t mean there’s no chance Cousins plays for another team this season. In Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon’s early bold prediction for the 2025 NFL trade deadline, he has the New York Jets making a move for the veteran.

Gagnon says it will all depend on two factors: Penix’s development and whether a contending team loses its starting quarterback to injury. In the Jets’ case, he believes they could give up on Justin Fields.

MORE: Michael Penix Jr. receives lukewarm confidence grade despite Falcons’ offseason praise

“Since it’s impossible to speculate on injuries, though, let’s instead throw out a Jets team that has a considerable amount of salary-cap space and could well give up on Justin Fields by November,” Gagnon wrote.

“The Jets also employ senior football advisor Rick Spielman, who is connected to Cousins from their shared time in Minnesota.

“If the increasingly desperate Jets are competitive in spite of Fields at that stage, dealing for an established veteran from the NFC could make some sense.”

Fields went 4-2 as a starter with the Steelers last year. There’s still belief he can be a reliable starter in the NFL, which is why the Jets signed him this offseason. However, in his four-year career, he has struggled to show consistency. Cousins wouldn’t be a long-term answer for New York by any means, but he could keep them competitive in the short term until they figure their quarterback situation out.

As for cap space, the Jets rank fourth in the league with $36.7 million, according to Over The Cap. They have a projected $38.5 million in 2026. Should the Falcons take a call about Cousins, they’d likely ask the Jets or any other suitor to absorb a large chunk of his salary. That’s where desperation could play in Atlanta’s favor.