In 2024, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed Russell Wilson as their starting quarterback, improving their quarterback situation. Wilson’s calf injury kept him out of the first six games, but he came back in Week 7 and has since improved the offense. Wilson will be a free agent after this season, so the future under center in Pittsburgh is uncertain. If it’s not the Steelers, his backup, Justin Fields, will also be out on the market and will probably go for a team that would offer him an opportunity to start.
Although it appears that Wilson and the Steelers will be together in 2025, there is no assurance of it. In light of this, Cory Woodroof of For The Win believes that if Wilson leaves in free agency, the Steelers might sign quarterback Kirk Cousins from the Atlanta Falcons. Could Cousins be the perfect alternative for Russell Wilson if the Steelers decide not to run it back? Cousins might be the perfect system quarterback for an offense that plays a lot of runs if Arthur Smith is able to call plays again next spring, Woodroof writes.
Additionally, Pittsburgh would provide Cousins with the type of defense he hasn’t experienced in a long time. The Steelers might be the ideal fit for Cousins if he can round out. After both of them were unable to establish a lasting connection in Atlanta, he and Smith might be like-minded. The Falcons benched Cousins in favor of youngster Michael Penix Jr., so Cousins should be available in the offseason. But rather than just cutting Cousins, the Falcons will probably try to trade him first.
The veteran signal-caller signed a four-year, $180 million deal in the offseason, but he only has $27.5 million left in guaranteed money, which makes his contract tradeable.
Considering the soaring price of starting quarterbacks in this day and age, that’s not a lot of money. That said, Cousins may not even be worth that after what we’ve seen from him this season.
The only way the Steelers will have interest is if they lose both Wilson and Fields in free agency, which seems unlikely. Pittsburgh could then pivot to a trade for Cousins, and while the veteran quarterback has a no-trade clause, it’s safe to assume he’d waive it for a chance to play for the Steelers.
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