Kirk Cousins is going back to Minnesota. On deadline day, the Vikings acquired the veteran quarterback from the Las Vegas Raiders for a 2027 third-round pick, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The deal came less than a day after Minnesota’s offense was held without a touchdown in a 23-6 loss to Buffalo on Monday night.
The Deal
- Vikings get: QB Kirk Cousins
- Raiders get: a 2027 third-round pick
Why the Vikings Did It
Minnesota is 6-2, but the offense has stalled. Against the Bills, Carson Wentz completed 8 of 25 passes for 81 yards with two interceptions. According to ESPN, his 2.3 QBR was the lowest for any quarterback this season. It was the third time this season the Vikings failed to score a touchdown, and ESPN notes they are the first team since 1925 to win at least six of their first eight games while being held without a touchdown in three of them. Their 11 touchdowns this season are tied with the winless Chargers.
Cousins knows the offense. He played for Kevin O’Connell in 2022 and 2023, and in 2022 he made the Pro Bowl after throwing for 4,547 yards, 29 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. That was also the season Justin Jefferson led the NFL in catches. Cousins started eight games in 2023 before tearing his Achilles against the Packers.
Why the Raiders Did It
Cousins started all nine games for Las Vegas this season, completing 64.1% of his passes for 2,340 yards, 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions. With him gone, rookie Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick, is expected to take over as the starter, with Aidan O’Connell as the backup. The Raiders are 4-5.
How He Got Here
Cousins left Minnesota as a free agent in 2024 and signed a four-year, $180 million deal with Atlanta. The Falcons drafted Michael Penix Jr. in the first round that same spring. Cousins started 22 games for Atlanta and was released after the 2025 season before landing in Las Vegas.
My Take
A third-round pick is a fair price for a team that is 6-2 and has a quarterback problem. The Vikings do not need Cousins to carry them. They need him to get the ball to Jefferson and finish drives. For the Raiders, this puts Mendoza on the field and lets them see what they have in their rookie for the rest of the year.
The Vikings visit the Packers on Sunday in a big NFC North game, so we may not have to wait long to see the reunion.
This is one of several deadline deals. Every trade is in my NFL trade deadline tracker, and here is my Week 9 recap with more on the Bills’ win in Minnesota.
Photo: Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson, 2022, by All-Pro Reels, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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