BREAKING: 49ers could use Kirk Cousins as a stopgap if contract talks stall with Brock Purdy

Kirk Cousins could be a prime target for the 49ers if they reach an impasse with Brock Purdy.

One of the biggest items on the San Francisco 49ers front office’s checklist is the pending extension for their starting quarterback, Brock Purdy, who has certainly outplayed his rookie contract.

As one of the top 10 quarterbacks, statistically, over the past two-plus seasons and a fair amount of success in the postseason, the Niners are looking to lock up Purdy long-term.

It’s something general manager John Lynch pointed out at the end of the 2024 campaign:

“What we know about Brock is, he is our guy. We have interest in Brock being around here for a long, long time. He’s done so much for our organization. He’s won big games and had a little tougher task, as we all did this year, with some of the things that happened throughout the course of the year… He continued to play at a high level, we have every interest in him being around.”

The 49ers are projected to have nearly $46 million in salary cap space, which is important to note.

Purdy could command a deal similar to what veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins signed last offseason with the Atlanta Falcons. His deal was for four years, $180 million with $100 million in guaranteed money.

As it appears from the outside looking in, the Falcons are prepared to move on from Cousins, opening the door for second-year pro Michael Penix to get the nod going forward.

Should the NFC South playoff hopefuls move Cousins, he may be the better answer than extending Purdy.

Especially if Purdy’s asking price winds up exceeding the 49ers’ comfort level, which is always a possibility.

Kirk Cousins could aid 49ers if things go wrong with Brock Purdy

The veteran quarterback turns 37 years old before the 2025 regular season starts. Thus, he clearly is not the long-term answer for San Francisco.

Injuries decimated the 49ers in 2024 causing them to miss the playoffsfor the first time in four years. The roster still has a plethora of talent on both sides of the ball.

Cousins has played in all three of the other divisions in the NFC. He started his career in the NFC East in Washington with the Redskins (now the Commanders). He played for the Minnesota Vikings of the NFC North prior to coming to the Falcons.

The NFC West would welcome him during a time the Los Angeles Rams appear ready to move both quarterback Matthew Stafford and star wide receiver Cooper Kupp, while both the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals have missed the playoffs at least the past two seasons.

Cousins could serve as the perfect stopgap until San Francisco finds the next quarterback of the future in the NFL Draft (i.e. Arch Manning from the University of Texas).

Furthermore, the affinity between Cousins and head coach Kyle Shanahan is not lost. The two spent many seasons together in Washington, and Shanahan knows what he is getting out of Cousins, even in the tail end of his playing career.

While the 49ers’ practical route is keeping Purdy, the more lucrative option with the future in mind may be to go after Cousins, especially from a cost-savings perspective.

Cousins also a durable quarterback. Since the 2015 season, he has missed less than 15 games, most of which came in 2023 due to an injury.

His production over the past five seasons can be seen in the table below: