ClutchPoints
The 2025 NFL Draft will be a big deal for the Tennessee Titans. And they need to stay out of the quarterback business with their first pick. So before the draft, the Titans must complete this perfect trade in the offseason.
First, the Titans don’t have a quality NFL quarterback in Will Levis. Perhaps he’s not even good enough to stick around as a backup. But here is how the Titans could solve their quarterback problem while also building for the future.
Of course, other NFL teams will have to cooperate for this to work. But this is the best scenario for the organization to pursue.
Let’s set the record straight. Tennessee wouldn’t make this deal and expect Cousins to lead the team to the Super Bowl. The Falcons found out that won’t work, just like the Vikings and Commanders in years before.
But what Cousins can bring to the team is stability in the early part of the season. With a reasonably solid veteran behind center, the Titans could hover around the .500 mark toward the halfway point.
Then, they could insert a player who forms the second part of this plan. The Titans should draft cornerback-receiver Travis Hunter with the first overall pick before selecting quarterback Jaxson Dart in the second round. Then they have Cousins to get things started with Dart trying to show his chops in the latter stages of the 2025 season.
Cousins going to the Titans in a trade got a nod from Pro Football Focus. However, PFF noted the obstacles.
“Cousins still holds significant contract costs and a no-trade clause to boot,” PFF wrote. “This would likely limit the number of teams that could feasibly take on his contract. He’s still due $155 million over the next three seasons. There is the possibility that Atlanta could agree to eat a portion of his contract to facilitate a deal, but much remains to be seen regarding that possibility.
“Being traded to the team with the worst record in the NFL last season may seem like a clear-cut opportunity for Cousins to exercise his no-trade clause. The AFC South continues to profile as a fairly winnable division, which may appeal to Cousins, who will be 37 years old come August.”
Still, the Falcons ended their good relationship with Cousins the minute they installed Michael Penix Jr. as the starter, according to espn.com.
“(Cousin’s future in Atlanta is) effectively over,” Jeremy Fowler said. “Hard to see a scenario in which the team turns to Cousins in 2025. The Falcons made clear in their statement that Penix is the quarterback “moving forward.” Translation: We aren’t looking back.”
As for Cousins, he said he still wants to play in the NFL, according to nfl.com.
“I definitely feel like I have a lot of good football left in me,” Cousins said. “Time will tell. It’s still kind of uncertain. We’ll get to March and know a lot more. But I think...
