The New Orleans Saints didn’t just lose their starting quarterback — they may have lost their entire offensive identity. With Derek Carr officially announcing his retirement, the Saints have suddenly become one of the most quarterback-needy teams in the NFL… and the most intriguing option on the table may involve an uncomfortable call to a division rival.
Enter the Atlanta Falcons and Kirk Cousins.
After signing Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract in March, the Falcons stunned the league by drafting Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 overall pick. The move created an awkward quarterback situation — and one that now could benefit the Saints.
According to CBS Sports’ Joel Corry, a trade involving Cousins wasn’t expected unless a team lost its starter unexpectedly. Well, now one has.
“Barring an injury to a starting quarterback during offseason workouts, the preseason or early in the regular season, the Falcons and Cousins could be stuck with each other until 2026,” Corry wrote. “One situation to watch is with the New Orleans Saints, an NFC South rival, because of starting quarterback Derek Carr’s injured right shoulder.”
That injury has now led to retirement — and potentially a massive pivot for the Saints’ front office.
The idea of trading Cousins within the division sounds far-fetched. But when you’re desperate, and the quarterback market is thin, tough conversations start to happen. Especially when the Falcons may prefer to offload a $180 million backup.
“Financially, a trade involving Cousins may prove difficult, and the Falcons probably don’t want to trade him within the division,” wrote Daniel Mader of The Sporting News. “But crazier things have happened in the NFL. If the Saints are desperate for a veteran presence and strike out on Rodgers, maybe Atlanta is willing to talk about a deal for Cousins.”
Cousins has made no public request to be moved, but it’s clear he didn’t sign up to play behind a rookie. And with New Orleans now without a signal caller, the fit — at least on paper — makes some sense.
“It’s unlikely,” Mader added, “but Cousins could use a change of scenery, and the Saints are one of few quarterback-needy teams at this point in the offseason.”
With New Orleans scrambling for a replacement and Atlanta stuck with a pricey backup, the desperation might run both ways — and that could be enough to make the unlikeliest trade in the NFC South actually happen.
