As the Pittsburgh Steelers spin the dial of quarterback options, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins, and soon to be former Atlanta Falcons QB Kirk Cousins, is one of several external options to toss around. Despite a mess of a first season in Atlanta that is going to see him get cut in the coming weeks, he could potentially be Russell Wilson Part Two, a veteran on the cheap with his former team eating nearly all his salary. If Pittsburgh has nowhere else to turn, there’s worse ideas than going with a cheap option instead of paying for middling quarterback play.
Count The 33rd Team’s Steve Palazzolo out of the Cousins…sweepstakes is too strong of a word…but no matter how it’s viewed, he shouldn’t come to Pittsburgh. He made the case during a Thursday appearance on 93.7 The Fan.
“I’d have concerns with Cousins because I’ve heard about him going to Cleveland,” Palazzolo told Andrew Fillipponi and Chris Mueller. “If you’re asking about Pittsburgh, I don’t trust him outdoors in the AFC North. I don’t think he’s got that type of juice in his arm. I think he needs a controlled environment. I would have serious concerns for most teams when it comes to Cousins.”
Cousins is coming off a terrible season despite mostly playing indoors with the Falcons. Signed to a four-year mega-contract last March, he ended the season on the bench as the franchise turns the page toward first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. Though the Falcons could theoretically hang onto Cousins as their No. 2, it seems an untenable situation that wouldn’t be helpful for anyone. Cousins wants to leave, and the team doesn’t need him hanging on behind a young guy in Penix.
Palazzolo is correct in noting Cousins’ lack of arm strength. He’s spent the latter half of his career playing in domes in Minnesota and Atlanta. Expecting him to drive the ball in a December snowstorm, like the one Pittsburgh played in Cleveland last year, or even just a windy game is dubious.
Getting older, slower, and worse at quarterback shouldn’t be in the Steelers’ plans. It’s hard to know where Cousins will end up and Cleveland makes sense solely from the standpoint of cost. If the Falcons absorb his salary as the Denver Broncos did with Russell Wilson, the Browns can pay him the minimum and stomach through the year. But Pittsburgh has several better options than Cousins, even in a year where seemingly few good ones exist, and adding Cousins would be an aimless move that would only reinforce the perception of a rudderless franchise.