It's been nearly 10 years in the making, but head coach Kyle Shanahan may finally be able to get quarterback Kirk Cousins on the San Francisco 49ers roster.
Remember, back in 2017 when Shanahan and general manager John Lynch first took over, the plan was for the head coach to bring Cousins aboard when he hit free agency in 2018. But that all changed late that season when one, Jimmy Garoppolo, came over from the New England Patriots.
Either way, Shanahan's affinity for Cousins is well known, and there's no shortange of speculation each offseason about the Niners somehow luring the veteran signal-caller out to the Bay Area somehow.
After all those years, Shanahan might soon have his best chance.
The Atlanta Falcons are going to release Cousins on March 11 after he lost his starting job to Michael Penix Jr. last season, ending a relationship that soured between player and franchise the moment Penix entered the mix.
GM Ian Cunningham says Falcons plan to release QB Kirk Cousins on first day of new league year. pic.twitter.com/jOcFq85oEW
— NFL (@NFL) February 24, 2026
It's not a shocker. With a new regime in place, retaining an expensive soon-to-be 38-year-old backup makes little sense from the Falcons' perspective.
But, would adding Cousins make sense from San Francisco's perspective, particularly if Shanahan has the final say?
Kirk Cousins' eventual release opens obvious options for Kyle Shanahan's 49ers
Shanahan and the 49ers have their franchise quarterback already in Brock Purdy. And they have Purdy's primary backup, Mac Jones, under contract through 2026.
Yet Jones is a tradable asset, and there'll be a market for him despite Shanahan and Lynch openly declaring a lack of interest in trading the No. 2 signal-caller this offseason after he started eight games in relief of an injured Purdy last season, going 5-3 in the process.
Perhaps Cousins' eventual availability helps change Shanahan's mind.
Granted, Shanahan and the Niners can't engage with Cousins on any would-be talks until March 9, two days before the league new year begins. But trade talks regarding Jones could take place anytime between now and then, and the latest Cousins news might make those a bit jucier than they would have been before.
At least if one is assuming Shanahan still wants Cousins on his roster, finally getting the best shot at doing so after all these years.