NFL Draft Day Intel: A GM Guarantees Cousins Will Be Traded, Odd Timing For Jalen Ramsey, Pickens May Go
This comes directly from my exchange with a current NFL general manager who spent time tormenting me with veiled answers to text questions on Wednesday when I was fishing for information about the 2025 NFL draft….
Me: What r u hearing?
GM: You tell me.
Me: I asked u first.
NEW ORLEANS, LA - FEBRUARY 8: A general view of the 2025 NFL Draft logo at the NFL Experience fan festival a day prior to Super Bowl LIX between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles inside of the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on February 08, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
NFL GM: Falcons Talking To Teams About Cousins
GM: I can give you a handful of things that you'll write and look like an idiot afterward because four of them won't happen based on people not pulling the trigger. Fifth is so dumb, it's embarrassing I even have to mention it.
Me: What????
GM: Your colleagues have totally bought in to the Falcons on Cousins trade. They've played all you people. They're trading him. It's gonna happen guaranteed. They've been talking to a bunch of teams. Only question is when they come back to earth and do it. That might be awhile.
Kirk Cousins is the backup quarterback in Atlanta now despite signing a $180 million starter deal with the team a year ago. That plan fell apart when Atlanta drafted Michael Penix Jr., Cousins struggled midway through the season, lost his job, and now Penix remains the starter going forward.
The Falcons initially said they feel comfortable with Cousins as their backup. Then Cousins expressed his desire to leave that situation. Then, the Falcons left the door ajar on a possible trade.
Dec 8, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) throws a pass against the Minnesota Vikings during the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
Fontenot Will Do What's Best For Falcons
On Wednesday, general manager Terry Fontenot said the team would "do what's best" for his team in deciding whether to trade Cousins or not.
All this drama while the Falcons have been taking and making calls to trade Cousins, per a source.
One issue is that the Falcons want one of two things in an exchange: A solid draft pick or a lesser pick and cap relief from the $37.5 million they're on the hook for this year with Cousins. Fontenot told reporters an ESPN report that Atlanta wants the new team to pay $20 million of the $37.5 million is not accurate.
But it is not known exactly what the Falcons would take. Fontenot said the Falcons "haven’t put a specific number on it."
It is fair to say they believe Cousins has value as a possible starting quarterback elsewhere, and they want something substantial in return.
Oct 23, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) warms up before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at U.S. Bank Stadium. (Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USATODAY Sports)
Vikings May Not Work For Cousins
This is a slow-moving train, but the roll toward a trade feels inexorable, based on my text exchange. So where to? This is speculation:
The Steelers?
The Browns?
The Vikings?
The Saints?
Oddly, out of all of these, the Vikings make the least sense. Why?
Because despite the fact Cousins played six years there, loves the place and the staff, and they love him, he doesn't want to be in a situation similar to what he experienced in Atlanta – competing with a young, high draft pick that the club fully intends to make the starter sooner or later.
Cousins wants to play in 2025. He doesn't want to play in September and get benched for J.J. McCarthy by November or December, similar to what happened to him last year.
And Cousins, we should all remember, can veto any trade because he has a no-trade clause.
Jalen Ramsey wasn't in a great mood Sunday during the Dolphins/Eagles game. He argued with a fan. Watch a video of it. (Credit: Getty Images)
Dolphins May Wait On Ramsey Trade
The Dolphins made it very clear last week they are trying to trade Jalen Ramsey. They leaked it first and hours later GM Chris Grier confirmed it.
And between the Dolphins and the Ramsey camp, the teams that have been contacted are, well, most of the league. Ramsey wants to be on a winner.
The Dolphins have talked to the Rams, Falcons, Lions, Commanders, Eagles and others.
The problem here is not draft compensation. Ramsey, if traded, may go for a fifth-round pick or thereabouts.
The issue is the $25.2 million Miami would have to swallow in dead cap if the trade happens before June 1.
So any team wanting to make this trade now might be asked to provide the Dolphins with some cap relief on that number.
A post-June 1 trade would result in nearly $10 millon in cap savings for the Dolphins but, obviously, finding a trade partner then might be tougher than doing it now.
One way a trade doesn't happen at all? Ramsey takes a pay cut from Miami. One NFL source said it's the reason he's on the market in the first place – which is odd because the Dolphins gave him a raise just prior to last season.
Steelers Mulling George Pickens Trade.
The Steelers have discussed the scenario in which they trade receiver George Pickens. The reason is that, despite his incredible athletic ability, Pickens is something of a handful – with untimely penalties, sometimes running wrong routes, and other times letting his emotions get the better of him.
Pickens is also entering the final year of his contract.
So the Steelers have both taken and made calls about possibly moving Pickens before losing him in free agency next offseason and getting nothing in return.
Understand that Pickens is extension eligible.
But the Steelers just signed DK Metcalf to a $132 million contract. The chances of the Steelers paying another wide receiver top dollar are not high.
They might rather dip back into the draft, where they've had great success finding receivers, and pick one that will be very good and very cheap.
Pickens, meanwhile, has apparently gotten wind of the possibility he might get traded. He unfollowed the Steelers on social media this week.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - JUNE 05: Head coach DeMeco Ryans of the Houston Texans talks with general manager Nick Caserio during mandatory minicamp at Houston Methodist Training Center on June 05, 2024 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
Quick Hitters: Texans, Bengals, Saints
Some quick-hit work being done by teams undercover:
*The Texans are badly wanting to help their offensive line. And in the OutKick 2025 mock draft, they don't get that help. GM Nick Caserio has been working the phones trying to gauge a possible trade up possibility from their current No. 25 slot.
*Trey Hendrickson, the NFL sack leader the past two seasons, asked to be traded each of the past two seasons. The Bengals obviously didn't do it last year and have said their intention is to sign Hendrickson to an extension this offseason.
Except that hasn't happened. And while Hendrickson would still like to be traded, there doesn't seem to be a lot of activity on the part of the Bengals in recent weeks to make that happen.
*Saints GM Mickey Loomis was tight-lipped on the status of Derek Carr on Wednesday but he did say the club is hopeful getting "resolution" and "clarity" on the issue in the near future. The idea the Saints don't have that clarity already is obviously not optimal.
*It will be interesting to see if QB Sam Howell survives the draft and is still on the Seattle Seahawks roster. Seattle signed Sam Darnold to be its starter, but the blow for Howell came when the club also brought back Drew Lock to be the backup.
That leaves little room for Howell on the roster and NFL people believe the Seahawks will be looking for a third-day-of-the-draft pick in exchange for Howell. Howell, 24, is in the final year of his contract.