The Cincinnati Bengals shouldn't necessarily slam the panic button after losing 48-10 to the Minnesota Vikings, but their Week 3 opponent's last long-term starting quarterback could be a quick fix to what's ailing them.
Anything should be on the table for the Bengals in their quest to salvage the 2025 season, which looked to go off the rails this past Sunday in their first game without Joe Burrow under center. Jake Browning played well as a starer in 2023, yet he put on a performance that has him in the running as the NFL's worst QB.
Perhaps the Atlanta Faclons offer some hope that Cincinnati could make an upgrade over Browning. Although it's an unlikely move at face value, I couldn't help but be struck by the latest update on the Falcons' QB situation and what it could mean for the Bengals.
Kirk Cousins trade to Bengals viable thanks to Raheem Morris' Michael Penix Jr. endorsement
Atlanta shocked the football world by paying a boatload of money to Kirk Cousins in free agency last year, only to turn around and draft Michael Penix Jr. in the top 10. Captain Kirk started strong before injuries derailed his 2024 campaign and thrust Penix into action.
If watching the latest Netflix Quarterback documentary series helped me learn anything — other than deepening my affinity for Burrow — it was that Cousins was hurting a season ago. He's an aging veteran who was doing all he could to stay on the field, knowing his job could be gone for good if Penix entered the lineup.
Despite the Falcons suffering their own awful setback in Week 3, a 30-0 road loss to the Carolina Panthers, head coach Raheem Morris is fully convicted in Penix as the team's starter going forward.
HC Morris on Michael Penix remaining the starting QB:
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) September 24, 2025
"Kirk lost his job last year. We're not even close to that with Mike. He had a bad game."
Morris has always given me "weird energy" vibes. This quote almost feels like there's an underlying resentment toward Cousins, even though he would, in all likelihood, give Atlanta a better chance to win right now over the still-developing Penix.
If Cousins is indeed just going to ride the pine/hold the clipboard for the Falcons, why wouldn't Cincinnati kick the tires on a prospective trade? Captain Kirk has had time to heal, and you can bet a fiery competitor like him is eager to prove that he can still get it done in this league.
Do people forget that this past October 3, in prime time on a Thursday night, Cousins hung over 500 yards and four TDs on the eventual NFC South champion Buccaneers' heads in a dramatic overtime victory? That's what a healthy version of Cousins can still look like under the right circumstances.
The Bengals present an appealing destination for the wily veteran field general. It's not often a QB seeking greener pastures would get the benefit of elite weapons like Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to distribute the ball to.
No one is denying that Cincinnati's offensive line is in a dire state. Seems like that'd be a bad fit for a pure pocket passer like Cousins, no?
Consider these facts for a second: Cousins flourished in Minnesota from 2020 through 2022 behind offensive lines that ranked 29th, 27th, and 19th in PFF's pass blocking grades. This is a gutsy guy who's shown time and again a willingness to stand in the pocket and deliver while taking hits.
Cousins' numbers during that three-year span? A 66.6% completion rate, an average of 4,500+ yards per season, and a 97-34 TD-INT ratio. That was good for a 99.7 passer rating.
Sounds like an option Duke Tobin should look into. Just saying!