New Orleans Must Make This Bold QB Move Before Week 1
Here we'll try to look at and discuss the last-minute trade that the New Orleans Saints must make before Week 1 of 2025 NFL season.
The New Orleans Saints are a team in transition, and that's not in a good way. Once one of the NFC’s most stable organizations, they now face uncertainty at the most important position in football. For five straight years, the Saints have tried to patchwork their way through the quarterback carousel. It just hasn’t worked. Now, with a rookie and a second-year signal caller competing for the Week 1 start, head coach Kellen Moore faces an uphill battle to return New Orleans to the postseason for the first time since 2020. Without decisive action, this could be yet another wasted year for a franchise and fan base desperate for direction.
The Saints’ Preseason So Far
Needless to say, Moore faces a monumental challenge in his first season as head coach. That task becomes even more daunting with no clear answer at quarterback. Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shough are battling for the starting job. Neither one, though, has proven they can win at this level. In fact, none of New Orleans’ quarterbacks have recorded a single NFL victory, with Rattler’s six career starts all ending in losses. Combine that with an aging Alvin Kamara and a banged-up Chris Olave as the lone reliable receiving threat. Add the departures of Marshon Lattimore, Paulson Adebo, and Tyrann Mathieu on defense, and not surprisingly, the Saints' outlook is grim.
The Saints’ preseason has only underscored those concerns. They dropped their opener to the Chargers, 27-13, before managing just a 17-17 tie with the Jaguars in Week 2. Their final tune-up comes at home this weekend against the Broncos. More troubling than the record, though, is the lack of clarity at quarterback. That's a situation that could derail the season before it even begins.
Here we'll try to look at and discuss the last-minute trade that the New Orleans Saints must make before Week 1 of 2025 NFL season.
Why Quarterback Is the Only Question That Matters
The reality is simple: the Saints won’t win until they solve the quarterback position. Moore is known as an offensive mind, but even the sharpest play-caller is handcuffed without a competent signal caller. Rattler and Shough are intriguing developmental options. That said, both are projects who need time, patience, and seasoning before they’re ready to carry an NFL franchise.
The Saints don’t have that time. Again, Kamara is nearing the end of his prime. Olave is playing through nagging injuries. The defense lost three cornerstone veterans in the secondary. New Orleans is teetering on the edge of irrelevance. Unless they bring in a stabilizing force under center, the season could spiral quickly.
The Trade That Changes Everything
New Orleans Saints: 2026 fifth-round pick to Atlanta Falcons for QB Kirk Cousins
This is the kind of move that would both steady the ship and provide a real chance at competitiveness. Cousins is no stranger to criticism, but he is also one of the most consistent quarterbacks in the NFL over the past decade. His time in Atlanta has soured, but that doesn’t erase the fact that he’s thrown for over 4,000 yards in seven different seasons. He has also been one of the league’s most reliable passers when healthy.
For the Saints, acquiring Cousins would bring legitimacy back to the huddle. He may not be the long-term answer, but he doesn’t have to be. What he would provide is a bridge. Cousins is a steady veteran presence who can run the offense, mentor Rattler and Shough, and give Moore the ability to fully implement his system. The young quarterbacks would benefit far more from learning behind Cousins than from being thrown into the fire too early.
Why Atlanta Might Play Ball
The Falcons, meanwhile, may be motivated sellers. Cousins carries a massive contract, and clearing his salary off the books makes sense. A fifth-round pick isn’t a massive return, but combined with potential salary relief, it could be enough to tempt the Falcons into parting with a quarterback they no longer see as their future.
Of course, trading within the NFC South adds a layer of complication. Atlanta may not want to hand their rival a quarterback upgrade. However, in the NFL, practicality often wins over pride. That's especially true when draft capital and cap space are on the line.
The Risks and Rewards
There’s no denying this trade carries risks. Cousins could struggle behind New Orleans’ shaky offensive line. He could re-injure himself and end up on the bench. That would leave the Saints with a pricey contract and no solution. That said, rolling with two inexperienced quarterbacks and hoping for the best are arguably riskier. The Saints can’t afford another three- or four-win season. Not with Kamara aging, not with fan patience wearing thin, and not with Moore’s tenure just beginning.
Even if Cousins isn’t spectacular, he would raise the floor for the entire offense. He would keep defenses honest, allow Olave and Rashid Shaheed to thrive, and give Kamara room to operate. More importantly, he would give the Saints time to properly develop their young quarterbacks rather than rushing them into a situation they aren’t ready to handle.
A Necessary Gamble
The New Orleans Saints don’t need a superstar to save their season. They just need competence. Kirk Cousins provides that, and more importantly, he provides breathing room for a team in desperate need of stability. Trading a 2026 fifth-round pick is a small price to pay for a quarterback who could stop the bleeding and buy the franchise time to chart its future.
If the Saints want to compete in 2025 rather than collapse, this is the last-minute move they must make before Week 1. Cousins won’t guarantee a playoff berth, but he will give New Orleans a fighting chance. That’s more than Rattler or Shough can offer right now.
