QB rumors show no signs of slowing as Giants linked to blockbuster trade

It seems like as the days continue to pass in the offseason for the New York Giants, another option for the quarterback position is floated for the team. It makes sense for the Giants to be tied to any and all possible quarterback options considering they are the most QB-needy team in the league.

Kirk Cousins being an option for the Giants in 2025 has been a conversation that dates back to the middle of the season. This stems from the Falcons drafting Michael Penix Jr. just one month after giving Cousins his massive four-year contract in free agency. With the Giants' uncertainty at the position and the possibility of the Falcons deciding to move on from Cousins, the Giants naturally enter the conversation.

Maurice Moton of Bleacher Report has heavily pressed the idea of the Giants making a deal with the Falcons to trade for Cousins, as it was the first trade idea mentioned in their blockbuster trade ideas for the 2025 offseason.

This isn’t the first time they’ve suggested the idea of Cousins being traded to the Giants, and they even altered their trade proposal from the previous one.

Back in December, the Giants were mentioned as a target for Cousins in free agency if the Falcons were planning to release the veteran quarterback to avoid paying his potential roster bonus.

Our fellow GMENHQ colleague Adam Bernstein addressed this when Jeremy Fowler of ESPN floated the Giants in his rumblings and explained why Cousins would make sense for the Giants in 2025.

Cousins ended up being benched for Penix the week of Atlanta’s game against the Giants. The Falcons went on to win 34-7, and Penix never looked back. This has further fueled speculation Cousins won’t be in Atlanta next season and could potentially play for the Giants given their current quarterback situation.

The veteran finished his first season in Atlanta going 7-7 as a starter, throwing for 3,508 yards with 18 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. In his final five games as the Falcons' starter, Cousins threw just one touchdown to nine interceptions and lost four of those five games. This ultimately led to Atlanta benching Cousins for Penix.

Ultimately, Captain Kirk as a bridge quarterback is still a decent option because he can play, even if it’s in the short term and at the back end of his career. Trading for him would mean the Giants take on the final three years of his current deal. The $27.5 million cap hit isn’t terrible, although Cousins’ cap hits for 2026 and 2027, at $57.5 million each, are far from ideal.

Because of that—and the fact the Giants need every possible draft pick for a roster full of holes—getting Cousins as a free agent rather than trading for him is the ideal scenario. If the Falcons were to cut Cousins, as some initially speculated, the Giants would make sense as a landing spot, signing him to a short-term deal in the two- to three-year range at a lower cost per season.

Both trade packages involving Cousins going to the Giants include a fourth-round pick, which isn’t terrible. However, both also involve the Giants trading away young secondary help, a position they are already thin at and can’t afford to weaken further. If push comes to shove, the Giants should look to give up only a draft pick for Cousins without involving a young player like Belton or Flott, who could contribute to their defense.

In the end, if the Giants decide Cousins is a viable bridge option at quarterback for the 2025 season, acquiring him as a free agent on their own terms rather than taking on his current Falcons contract would be the ideal move for their salary cap and future flexibility.

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