Packers named possible landing spot for 4-time Pro Bowler in NFL free agency originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Green Bay Packers are in the market for a backup quarterback after losing one in free agency.

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Of course, that backup is Malik Willis, who parlayed his career revival in Green Bay into a three-year, $67.5 million contract to be the starter of the Miami Dolphins.

With Willis gone, the Packers are left with backup options such as Desmond Ridder and Kyle McCord behind Jordan Love. For a team with Super Bowl aspirations, the Packers need a better insurance policy for Love.

Knowing that, ESPN’s Bill Barnwell named the Packers as a possible landing spot for former Atlanta Falcons signal-caller and four-time Pro Bowler, Kirk Cousins, who was cut after Atlanta struck out on his $180 million contract.

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Here’s Barnwell’s thoughts on Cousins to the Packers:

The Packers need a backup quarterback after losing Malik Willis to the Dolphins in free agency. They run play-action at one of the highest rates in the league under Matt LaFleur. Jordan Love has missed two games to injury in each of the past two years, so the Packers have to be conscious of their need to have a backup they trust in a meaningful spot if Love can’t go. While LaFleur might try to find value with another prospect in the same way the Packers once did when they traded for Willis, Cousins would be a solid option as the backup behind Love in 2026.

Cousins is almost certainly looking for a starting job, but there isn’t a single team that has a clear path to a QB1 opportunity going into Day 5 of free agency.

Adding to that, it isn’t clear if there is any team that would be interested in having Cousins start. As a result, he may have to settle for a backup job.

Cousins’ best days are behind him, as we saw over the last two seasons with the Falcons. The veteran was benched for Michael Penix Jr. in 2024 after Cousins struggled mightily, and he was OK but not great in relief of Penix in 2025 following the former first-round pick’s partially torn ACL.

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All that said, Cousins is still a far better option at this point in his career than either of the Packers’ current backup options.

With good weapons and a great play-caller in Matt LaFleur, Cousins is very capable of keeping the Packers afloat if Love were to get injured.

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