The Cleveland Browns will kick off training camp on July 18. And don’t be surprised if they part ways with one of their quarterbacks. It’s a crowded and complicated room. 2 veterans and a pair of promising rookies are competing for limited snaps. Someone’s bound to be the odd man out. Currently, everyone seems to be eyeing Kenny Pickett to be the one to receive the axe. Leading the chorus is ESPN’s Peter Schrager, who echoed the sentiment last month, predicting the Browns will eventually move on from either Joe Flacco or Pickett… But leaned toward the latter to be on the chopping block.

“I would be surprised personally if both of those veteran quarterbacks are still on the roster come Week 1, and you have the two rookies,” Schrager said on The Pat McAfee Show. So, if Kenny Pickett is the bait, then what’s the Browns’ compensation if they are to trade the former first-round pick? That’s where Cory Woodroof of For The Win’s prediction comes in. Woodroof predicts that the Browns will trade for Kirk Cousins of the Falcons.

“We have a feeling the Browns might find themselves in an awkward spot during training camp with their quarterback room,” Woodroof writes. “Neither Joe Flacco nor Kenny Pickett inspires a ton of confidence as a 17-game starter. Rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders feel destined to sit on the bench for a year. If Cleveland is serious about winning in 2025, swinging a trade for Cousins is the clearest path.”

Surprisingly, ahead of the 2025 draft, the NFL analysts predicted that Kevin Stefanski would like to have Cousins in Cleveland. “Is that a real thing for Atlanta to trade Kirk to Cleveland?” The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported before the draft. “…Knowing Kevin Stefanski coached Kirk Cousins when he was in Minnesota, it makes a lot of sense why that would work.”

But after Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders arrived in Berea, there was a deafening silence on this possibility. Fast forward to now, and the idea of this trade feels more plausible than ever. Raheem Morris and the Falcons want to get rid of Cousins, considering he’s the most expensive backup quarterback. Atlanta will carry $12.5 million in dead cap this year, and $25 million the following year. And yes, the Falcons are confident with second-year QB, Michael Penix Jr.

The Browns, on the other hand, are stuck with four quarterbacks on their roster heading toward training camp. Many believe that Flacco is the top contender to start, but he won’t be starting all 17 games. While others are on board with Shedur or maybe, just maybe, with Gabriel to lead the Browns’ offense. But one thing’s certain, though: it’s rare for a team to enter with 4 quarterbacks in a regular season.

That means Kevin Stefanski has to make a tough decision to release or trade one of their QBs. The odds are in favor of the Browns trading Kenny Pickett in exchange for Kirk Cousins. “Cousins isn’t quite as potent as his best days in Minnesota, but he proved with Atlanta in 2024 that he can still be a solid starting quarterback when healthy,” Woodroof added. “If the Browns come to the conclusion we think they will, Cousins and his former Minnesota offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski will reunite in the Dawg Pound to compete in the AFC North.”

Woodroof concluded after explaining that trading Pickett to the Falcons will give the Browns room for Cousins, Flacco, Gabriel, and Sanders. After all, Cousins doesn’t seem to be quiet happy in Atlanta.

Kirk Cousins felt “misled” after the Falcons picked a QB last year

The Falcons signed Kirk Cousins on a four-year, $180 million deal. That includes $100 million in fully guaranteed contracts just before the 2024 NFL draft. The writing was on the wall, though. After all, Cousins was taking up the QB1 job in Atlanta. But the deal wasn’t all glitter and touchdown. Cousins had an idea that his new team was going to draft a QB in the 2024 draft. Little did he know that Atlanta was planning to pick a QB that high.

The 36-year-old quarterback admitted he felt “a little bit misled” after leaving the Vikings, where things were going well. But why? Because of how he found out later that the Falcons used a top draft pick on Michael Penix Jr. “If I had that information around free agency, it would’ve affected my decision. I had no reason to leave Minnesota, with how much we loved it there,” Cousins said, finally clearing the air in Netflix’s Quarterback Season 2.

“If both teams were going to be drafting a quarterback high…” Cousins added, before giving the classic NFL reality check: “You’re not entitled to anything. It’s all about earning your spot and proving yourself.” Translation? He probably would’ve stayed in Minnesota. He might’ve even retired a Viking. Yes, Minnesota drafted a QB too. But at least they told him to his face.

By the time offensive coordinator Zac Robinson called to say they were taking Penix, Cousins inked his $100 million fully guaranteed deal. To make matters worse, he got benched to end the 2024 season. Fast forward to now and Atlanta wants to trade him. He wants out. And the Browns are reportedly circling. But with all the uncertainty around his next landing spot, one thing’s clear: Kirk Cousins’ final NFL chapter isn’t getting the quiet send-off he likely envisioned.