NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport floated two veterans who could compete for the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback job in 2025.

The Browns and Deshaun Watson restructured the quarterback’s contract on Friday to create cap flexibility for the 2025 and 2026 seasons, according to multiple reports. It also made it so that Watson, who signed a five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract in 2022, will be back in Cleveland next season.

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But whether he enters Week 1 as QB1 is still up in the air. Rapoport said Sunday there might be a competition held.

"I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s veteran competition. Aaron Rodgers, if he’s not on the Jets, would be one potential option, Kirk Cousins another," Rapoport said.

Rapoport added that Rodgers’ future with the New York Jets could hinge on whether they trade Garrett Wilson. He said that Wilson might want off the Jets if Rodgers is brought back for the 2025 season.

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Rodgers’ short stint with the Jets has been nothing but tumultuous. He has 3,511 passing yards and 24 touchdown passes this year.

Cousins’ time with the Atlanta Falcons appeared to be over as well. The team replaced Cousins with Michael Penix Jr. following a narrow victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. Cousins went on a streak of zero touchdown passes and eight interceptions over the course of four games.

Cleveland will have some options at quarterback. They could choose to go the rookie quarterback route, since they will likely have a high draft pick in 2025.

Going into Week 17, the Browns are currently fourth in the draft order.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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The Atlanta Falcons have taken over first place in an NFC South race that is going to come down to the wire in the final two weeks of the regular season. 

However, the quarterback who helped beat the New York Giants on Sunday wasn’t Kirk Cousins – the $180 million man they signed to a four-year deal this offseason. 

It was Michael Penix Jr., the rookie first-round pick. Many were shocked when the Falcons called his name because they had just signed the veteran Cousins a month ago. 

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Cousins’ play, though, had been faltering of late, and one NFL Hall of Famer was blunt with his assessment of him this year after Penix looked good in his first NFL start. 

"Consistently mediocre. That’s what Kirk has been this year," Giants great Michael Strahan said, via the Daily Mail. "Whenever you’re a great player in your mind, you’re still that. But sometimes, your skill level diminishes, and it drops. 

"You don’t know when it’s going to happen, it can happen at any point in the season. I think for Kirk Cousins, it happened now." 

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The Falcons were 7-7 under Cousins, but head coach Raheem Morris made a change after Atlanta’s win over the Las Vegas Raiders saw more maligned offensive drives just like the ones in recent weeks with Cousins under center. 

But the 36-year-old, who is coming off a torn Achilles from the 2023 season with the Minnesota Vikings, was a part of four straight losses before that 15-9 win over the Raiders. In that span, Cousins didn’t throw a single touchdown and had eight interceptions. 

So, after throwing just one touchdown and yet another interception, Morris made the switch despite the Falcons being in such a tight playoff race. 

Penix’s debut saw no touchdown passes, but he was quick with his decision-making and on time with the ball to his receivers as he threw for 202 yards on 18-of-27 through the air. He also had an interception on his stat sheet, though tight end Kyle Pitts juggled a pass near the goal line that was ultimately picked off. 

With Penix taking the reins moving forward, Strahan believes that Cousins must play the mentor role. 

"Keep him around, let him teach Michael Penix the intricacies of the game," Strahan said. "It’s good to have that veteran influence, but I think Kirk may have to just humble himself to understand that’s his role right now."

There have been reports the Falcons could cut Cousins before March to avoid the remaining years on his contract, though $100 million was guaranteed at signing earlier this year. 

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Kirk Cousins may have been back at U.S. Bank Stadium, the place he called home with the Minnesota Vikings for six seasons, but his Atlanta Falcons were no match for his replacement at quarterback. 

Sam Darnold threw five touchdown passes and over 300 yards to thrash the Falcons, 42-21, to move the Vikings to 11-2 on the season. 

Darnold was 22-of-28 for 347 yards with his five scores, while Cousins, though he threw for 344 yards, had no touchdowns and two interceptions. 

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Cousins has been struggling with turnovers in recent weeks, as he had four interceptions last week in the loss to the Los Angeles Chargers and had one in each of the previous two games. 

But this game began with a master class from the Falcons, going 11 plays and 70 yards to see Tyler Allgeier score the game’s first touchdown. 

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However, a turnover-on-downs on the second Falcons drive ultimately flipped the momentum as Darnold’s first touchdown pass was a broken play to Jordan Addison, who scored three of those five touchdowns, as he caught a 49-yard bomb and walked into the end zone to tie the game after the extra point. 

A few drives later, Darnold zipped a pass to Justin Jefferson for a 12-yard score – his first since Week 7, which seems crazy to think about considering he’s the team’s top receiver. 

But Darnold wouldn’t just find Jefferson once. Yet another broken play came, this time in the second half, where he walked in as well from 52 yards out. 

Addison led the game with 133 receiving yards on eight receptions, but Jefferson was right behind with 132 yards on seven catches.

The Vikings put the game away in the fourth quarter, as they outscored the Falcons 21-0, which included an Aaron Jones touchdown. Jones had 73 yards on 13 carries on the day. 

For the Falcons, Bijan Robinson was able to find the end zone as well as leading the game with 92 rushing yards on 22 carries. 

Darnell Mooney was Cousins’ top target with 142 yards on just six catches, while Ray-Ray McCloud had 98 yards on eight receptions. 

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