With only three weeks remaining in the regular season, the New York Giants have turned their focus to improving in the offseason. The priority will be upgrading the quarterback position via free agency and the NFL Draft, but there are still many unknowns about what New York's quarterback room could look like at the start of 2025.
Assuming the Giants obtain the first or second pick in the draft, they will likely consider Colorado's Shedeur Sanders or Miami's Cam Ward as viable options to serve as the team’s next franchise quarterback.
The Giants will likely bring in a short-term veteran quarterback in free agency to mentor whichever younger prospect the team drafts, giving Big Blue more time to develop their first-round pick before throwing him into the fire. Still, the G-Men are almost certain to draft a quarterback next year.
Some names that have been thrown around are Sam Darnold, Jameis Winston, Russell Wilson, and Justin Fields, but one name that has yet to be mentioned that much is veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins. The Giants would have to trade for Cousins, who signed with the Atlanta Falcons last offseason in free agency to a four-year, $180 million contract.
If the Giants were to trade for Cousins, they would face a $27.5 million cap hit—reasonable by today’s quarterback market. Cousins does, however, have a no-trade clause attached to his contract, so he ultimately holds the final say on whichever team becomes his next destination. He’s under contract for three more seasons, and I can’t imagine that any team would prioritize a 36-year-old veteran long-term, making him a logical short-term solution for the Giants.
If you follow me, you know I've been saying since last May that Kirk Cousins could be #Giants QB in 2025.
— Ryan Dunleavy (@rydunleavy) December 18, 2024
Odds only increase now that he's likely finished with #Falcons.
It's a reasonable $27.5M cap hit to trade for Cousins, but he has a no-trade clause, so he'll pick his next… https://t.co/4Pow1LwiOQ
Why Kirk Cousins makes sense for the New York Giants in 2025
While Cousins has had success throughout his career at every NFL stop, the veteran has struggled this season. The Falcons started rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. over the 36-year-old against the Giants this Sunday.
Many people criticized Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot for using last year’s first-round pick on Penix Jr. after the team had just signed Cousins in free agency, but now that decision doesn’t look all that bad.
If Penix Jr. has a breakout game against Big Blue—which wouldn’t be surprising given the Giants’ lackluster performance this season—it could reflect poorly on Giants general manager Joe Schoen, who passed on Penix to take LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers in last year’s draft. Still, it would allow the Falcons to open trade talks to move Cousins and fully integrate their 2023 first-rounder into their future plans.
Maybe Cousins really is like that! Captain Kirk would be an excellent fit for the Giants next year, as head coach Brian Daboll will likely need more time with whichever quarterback the team drafts. This would also allow players like Nabers to break out with a true signal-caller under center for the G-Men. The quarterback-receiver duo could mirror the connection Cousins had with Justin Jefferson, which was among the league’s best during their time together with the Minnesota Vikings.
With Cousins’ relatively inexpensive contract and the Giants as a sensible trade partner, Schoen and Fontenot should engage in trade talks to make something happen. The only thing standing in the Giants’ way is the no-trade clause that Cousins would need to waive.