Who Should I Start? Andy Dalton or Kirk Cousins

Thursday, February 26, 12:11 PM

Carolina Panthers general manager and president of football operations Dan Morgan said on the Pat McAfee Show on Thursday that he hasn't talked to any teams "about a trade, but if the possibility did come up, I would talk to Andy." ESPN's Adam Schefter reported this week that the Panthers have been getting calls on the availability of veteran quarterback Andy Dalton. While the Panthers may not be looking to trade Dalton at this moment, it sounds like Morgan isn't opposed to it, especially after telling McAfee that the organization wants to "get a little younger and more athletic" at the backup QB position. The 38-year-old is going into the second year of a two-year, $8 million contract he signed with Carolina in February of 2025. At best, Dalton could be a veteran bridge QB for a team that loses out in free agency and is desperate at the position.

Tuesday, February 24, 5:56 AM

Atlanta Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham said that the team plans to release veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins on the first day of the new league year on March 11. If Cousins were on the roster for the start of the new league year, the Falcons would owe him $67.9 million guaranteed. It's highly unlikely that the Falcons will find a trade partner for Cousins before the start of the new league year. The 37-year-old veteran lost his starting job to Michael Penix Jr. (knee) late in the 2024 season and was the backup last year until Penix suffered a season-ending knee injury. In 10 games (eight starts) in 2025, Cousins completed a career-low 61.7% of his passes for 1,721 yards, 10 touchdowns, and five interceptions for Atlanta. The four-time Pro Bowler is nearing the twilight of his career, although he could have a chance to compete for a starting job in 2026, depending on where he lands in free agency.