The Minnesota Vikings have reacquired quarterback Kirk Cousins in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders, sending a 2027 third-round pick to Las Vegas. With the trade, 2026 No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza is now poised to take over as the Raiders' starting quarterback. Unless the Vikings work out a contract change, they will owe Cousins the remainder of his $1.3 million base salary this season and a $10 million roster bonus this spring. The Vikings have lost consecutive games after a 6-0 start, managing only 19 points over that stretch, though their defense and special teams rank among the NFL's best. The deal comes less than 24 hours after veteran Carson Wentz delivered the worst performance by a Vikings quarterback since 2006.
Cousins played for the Vikings from 2018 to '23 and was a Pro Bowl selection in '22 when he threw for 4,547 yards with 29 touchdowns. In 2023, he started eight games before suffering a torn Achilles. Wide receiver Justin Jefferson enjoyed his finest season in 2022 while playing with Cousins, setting career bests with 128 catches and 1,809 yards. Since the start of the 2025 season, the Vikings have the NFL's second-worst team QBR (36.3). The team's handling of the quarterback position since Cousins' departure contributed heavily to the firing of former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah in January. This week would mark the 15th time their starter has changed from one week of a season to another if Carson Wentz does not play against the Packers.
Source: ESPN NFL · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing