NFL Draft Day Insight: A General Manager Assures Trading of Cousins, Questionable Timing for Jalen Ramsey, Potential Selection of Pickens
Revised Article:
Hey there! Let's dive into some juicy NFL gossip.
NFL GM: Cousins Might Be Packing His Bags for a New City
An anonymous NFL GM spilled some tea about potential Kirks on the move. Here's a taste of what's brewing:
Me: Give me the scoop, buddy.
GM: Listen pal, you might end up looking like a jerk after this conversation because some things won't pan out. But here's the deal - your pals are all eating up the idea of a Cousins trade to Atlanta. They're going for it. It's as good as set in stone. They've been hobnobbing with several other teams too, but the main question is when they'll come down to earth and make the deal. That might take a while.
Kirk Cousins is currently Atlanta's backup QB despite inking a whopping $180 million deal as a starter last year. Talk about a disaster! The plan fell apart when they picked Michael Penix Jr. in the draft, Cousins had a mid-season slump, lost his job, and now it's Penix's reign.
Initially, the Falcons insisted they felt comfortable with Cousins as their backup. But then Cousins made it clear he wasn't feeling that situation, and the Falcons left the door open for a possible trade.
After a conversation with Terry Fontenot, it seems the Falcons are weighing their options and will do what's best for the team in deciding whether to trade Cousins or not. They've been unofficially shopping him around, sources say.
One hitch is that the Falcons are eyeing two things in any potential trade: a strong draft pick or cap relief from the $37.5 million they're tied to this year with Cousins. Apparently, the reports suggesting they want a new team to take on $20 million of that burden are not accurate, according to Fontenot.
However, it remains unclear exactly what the Falcons would accept. Fontenot mentioned they haven't put a specific number on it. But they seem to believe Cousins has potential as a starting QB elsewhere and want a valuable return for him.
It's a slow-moving train, but it's heading towards a trade, it seems. So where will Cousins end up? The Steelers? The Browns? The Vikings? Or perhaps, the Saints?
The Vikings are an interesting choice since Cousins has a history with the team and even mentioned loving the place. But Cousins might be wary of finding himself in a similar situation to his time in Atlanta, competing with a young, high draft pick that the team intends to make the starter eventually. Cousins wants to play this year, not be sidelined like last time.
Most importantly, Cousins has a no-trade clause, so he could veto any trade that doesn't suit him.
Dolphins and Ramsey Playing Hard to Get?
The Dolphins and Jalen Ramsey are in a complex dance. The Dolphins made it clear they're trying to trade him, and various teams have been contacted. The problem is that the Dolphins would have to swallow a significant cap hit if the trade happens before June 1.
So, if a team wants to make the trade now, they might need to offer some cap relief to the Dolphins. However, if the trade happens after June 1, the Dolphins would get nearly $10 million in cap savings, but finding a trade partner might be tougher. It's also possible that Ramsey agrees to a pay cut, but sources say that's what got him on the trading block in the first place.
Steelers Mulling a Pickens Swap?
George Pickens, the Steelers' talented but occasionally unruly receiver, has been mentioned in trade talks due to his contract ending soon. The Steelers have both initiated and received calls about possibly moving Pickens before losing him in free agency next season, with little return.
Understand that Pickens is extension eligible, which means the Steelers might just extend him instead of trading him. But they've already signed DK Metcalf to a massive deal, so it seems unlikely they'll pay another wide receiver top dollar.
It's an intriguing situation, with the Steelers potentially trading away a young, talented player. Only time will tell what happens. Stay tuned for more NFL drama!
- By 2025, Kirk Cousins might find himself playing for a new NFL team, as rumors persist that the Atlanta Falcons are actively seeking trade offers for him, with the Steelers, Browns, Vikings, or Saints being potential destinations.
- Jalen Ramsey's future with the Dolphins remains uncertain, with theteam reportedly open to trading him, provided a trading partner can offer cap relief or the deal is postponed until June 1 for significant cap savings.
3.George Pickens, the talented but unpredictable Steelers receiver, is mentioned in trade talks, as the team considers moving him before he becomes a free agent next season in order to secure some return.
- Terry Fontenot, the Falcons' executive, mentioned that the team is considering a trade of Kirk Cousins, but they are aiming for a strong draft pick or cap relief as part of any potential deal, contrary to speculations that they sought a new team to take on $20 million of Cousins' contract.
- Kirk Cousins' move to Atlanta last year ended in disaster, triggering speculation that he may veto any trade that doesn't offer him a starting QB role and clear path to playing time, considering his no-trade clause.
