The Los Angeles Rams have just two quarterbacks on roster currently in reigning NFL MVP Matthew Stafford and Stetson Bennett. The Rams carried Jimmy Garoppolo as a backup last year, but he is a free agent who is considering his options. This week, coach Sean McVay said that the Rams do have interest in bringing Jimmy G back, but there’s another player they could target if Garoppolo opts for another team: Kirk Cousins.
“Kirk is as influential as anybody in helping me get to L.A. in the first place,” McVay told Mike Florio. “I know he’s got some other options and some other suitors but Jimmy and Kirk are guys that I would love to be able to have back with us.”
Cousins and McVay spent five seasons together in Washington from 2012 to 2016. McVay was the tight ends coach when Washington selected Cousins at No. 102 overall, and served as offensive coordinator when Cousins took over as the full-time starter in 2015. In McVay’s final season with Washington, Cousins threw for a career-high, 4,917 yards, 25 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. That campaign helped McVay earn the Rams job at the ripe age of 30.
Cousins, who turns 38 in August, was released two years into the four-year, $180 million deal he signed with the Atlanta Falcons. After a 7-7 start in 2024, he was benched for rookie Michael Penix Jr. — who did enough to earn the QB1 title heading into the 2025 season. However, after Penix tore his ACL in Week 11, Cousins stepped in and helped the Falcons go 5-2 down the stretch — which included a four-game win streak to end the regular season.
It remains to be seen where the Rams would rank among potential landing spots for Cousins. He went 12-10 in 22 starts with the Falcons, and threw for 5,229 yards, 28 touchdowns and 21 interceptions during his time in Atlanta. After rallying the Falcons to an 8-9 record with four straight wins, Cousins likely believes he’s still a starter in this league. The problem is there aren’t many teams looking for a starting quarterback right now.
One team that doesn’t have their starting quarterback on roster yet is the Las Vegas Raiders, who are expected to select former Indiana signal-caller Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Then there’s the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are awaiting a final decision from 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers. If Rodgers does decide to hang up the cleats, perhaps the Steelers could turn their attention to Cousins. The Arizona Cardinals could be a potential landing spot as well. Jacoby Brissett is still under contract after a career year in which he threw for 3,366 yards, 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions, and Arizona also brought in journeyman Gardner Minshew.
It’s possible Cousins could wait for a quarterback injury to determine his next team, but McVay has made it clear that the Rams would be open to bringing the veteran in.