The Green Bay Packers are searching for a backup quarterback, and Kirk Cousins has been discussed as a possible target — both internally and externally. However, they reportedly may not be the only club eyeing him, which could prove to be a blessing in disguise.
There's no denying that Green Bay needs to add a viable No. 2 passer behind franchise centerpiece Jordan Love. So, beggars can't be choosers, especially considering the misfit cast of free agents available to them. Be that as it may, Cousins isn't the answer, so the Las Vegas Raiders' apparent interest in him may save the Packers from themselves.
"Signs point to" the Raiders bringing in a veteran to complement presumed 2026 No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Cousins is "considered a prime option."
Raiders may save Packers from possible Kirk Cousins disaster
Cousins, who turns 38 in August, showed his age with the Atlanta Falcons in 2025. He looked immobile and lacked zip. These are realities of him getting older, so it's hard to envision improvement in these areas.
Despite being statuesque in the pocket at this stage of his career, Cousins actually does a pretty good job of not taking hits. He had the 12th-lowest pressure-to-sack rate among players with at least 50 dropbacks last season (excluding playoffs). Yet, that's a byproduct of the four-time Pro Bowler getting rid of the ball so quickly that defenses can't get to him, thus limiting explosives.
The fear of getting hit ostensibly (and understandably) lingers in the back of Cousins' mind. He was one of 32 signal-callers with double-digit throwaways this past year despite only appearing in 10 contests and making eight starts. Moreover, using the same statistical filter mentioned above, his 2.57-second average time to throw was tied for the fifth-fastest.
Cousins avoided contact, albeit at the expense of being able to air it out, as evidenced by a low 7.4-yard average depth of target (aDot). He tried dinking and dunking his way down the field, but wasn't particularly effective doing it in a lackluster final campaign with the Falcons. His 84.8 passer rating was considerably lower than the league average of 91.4.
Not to mention, the big-armed Love couldn't be more different stylistically. He's a gunslinger in every sense of the word with otherworldly arm talent. The Packers have tailored their offense to his strengths, so finding an understudy with a similar skill set, unlike Cousins, probably makes more sense.
Note: Metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus' premium stats ($).