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The Las Vegas Raiders traded starting quarterback Kirk Cousins to the Minnesota Vikings on Tuesday, less than an hour before the NFL trade deadline.
The Vikings are trading a third-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft in exchange for Cousins, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
This marks the end of Cousins’ Las Vegas tenure, which lasted just nine regular season games.
Cousins performed well for the Raiders, throwing for 20 passing touchdowns, 2,340 yards, and adding two rushing scores in his nine games.
This success is what ultimately allowed Minnesota to trade for him, thus opening the door for rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza to become Las Vegas’ new starter.
Cousins is very familiar with the Vikings’ franchise. He played there for six seasons from 2018 to 2023 before signing with the Atlanta Falcons in free agency.
He then spent two seasons in Atlanta before they released him, opening the door for him to sign a one-year, $11.3 million contract with the Raiders this past offseason.
Cousins will become the Vikings’ starting quarterback after what has been an abysmal regular season from Kyler Murray. Maybe that helps get All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson back on track.
Jefferson is off to the worst start to a season in his pro career.
Meanwhile, the trade is a clear signal that the Raiders are looking to the future.
A few weeks ago, it seemed unlikely that Cousins would get dealt. The Raiders began the season 3-0 and looked like one of the better teams in the league. But five losses in a six-game span brought the team back to Earth, and the future in focus.
Mendoza will likely get the start on Sunday when the Raiders host the defending Super Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks. Not the easiest assignment for the youngster.
