MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – OCTOBER 08: Kirk Cousins #8 of the Minnesota Vikings calls a play during the second quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at U.S. Bank Stadium on October 08, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
Kirk Cousins’ camp is reportedly interested in signing with an AFC playoff team when free agency opens next month.

The four-time Pro Bowler finished out the final year of his contract and is now eligible to enter free agency for the first time since 2019. The structure of Cousins’ contract means Minnesota cannot use the franchise tag on him.

 

Speaking on 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh (h/t Trevor Squire of Heavy.com), Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reported that people close to Kirk Cousins’ camp are “intrigued by the possibility of” the Pittsburgh Steelers pursuing Cousins.
“If the Steelers are going to do something at quarterback, they are going to get a veteran. They aren’t going to roll the dice with a bottom third of the first-round draft pick and hope that that guy develops. I was talking to some people last week who seem to be intrigued by the possibility of the Steelers making a play for Kirk Cousins. And those people were very close to if not within the Kirk Cousins camp.”

The Steelers used three different starting quarterbacks in 2023 in Mason Rudolph, Kenny Pickett and Mitch Trubisky. The latter was released last week, and Rudolph himself is a pending free agent.

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Cousins was putting together a career year in 2023 before unfortunately suffering a season-ending torn Achilles in Week 8 against the Green Bay Packers. He completed 69.5 percent of pass attempts for 2,331 yards and 18 touchdowns against five interceptions.

Minnesota was 4-4 in games started by Cousins, but they limped to a 3-6 finish without their Pro Bowl signal-caller.