Vikings Trade for Kirk Cousins, Send Third-Round Pick to Raiders

The Minnesota Vikings reacquired quarterback Kirk Cousins from the Las Vegas Raiders on Tuesday, beating the NFL trade deadline with an agreement to send their 2027 third-round draft pick to the Raiders. The deal was contingent on Cousins passing a physical exam.

The Trade

The Vikings sent their 2027 third-round selection to Las Vegas. The pick is the Vikings' own slotted third-rounder, not the higher pick they are owed from Philadelphia in a swap made in April for edge rusher Jonathan Greenard. The Vikings agreed to take on the $10 million roster bonus Cousins is due in March.

The trade created an opening for rookie Fernando Mendoza to take over with the Raiders. Mendoza, the first overall pick in this year's draft after winning the Heisman Trophy and a national championship with Indiana, is now the Raiders' starting quarterback.

Cousins' Return to Minnesota

Cousins, 38, played for the Vikings from 2018 to 2023. He had some of his best career performances with the team while helping them win 13 games in 2022 in coach Kevin O'Connell's debut. He was playing even better halfway through the following season when he tore his Achilles tendon during a game at Green Bay in Week 8.

The Raiders gave Cousins the option to decide whether he would like to stay in Las Vegas or head back to Minnesota. After talking with his family, agent Mike McCartney, and Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell, Cousins made up his mind by midday Tuesday and informed Raiders general manager John Spytek that he wanted to return to Minnesota.

"I'm not too interested in completely starting over," Cousins said when asked about whether he would have considered a trade to any other teams. "I want to play with … you've got to play off reaction and instinct. And if you're thinking, I don't think you can quite be the player that you otherwise could be. So to me, it's important to be able to be at a place that you feel you at least have the potential to do that."

Performance and Context

Through nine games with the Raiders this season, Cousins is 202-of-315 passing (64.1%) for 2,340 yards with 20 touchdowns to eight interceptions and a passer rating of 97.1. He now joins the 6-2 Vikings in a battle for a contentious decision and potential postseason berth.

The Vikings are 27th in scoring but No. 1 in scoring defense. They needed a quarterback to jumpstart an offense that has been off track. With Kyler Murray sidelined by a hamstring strain, a Vikings offense that has been off track since Sam Darnold struggled through the last two games of the 2024 season hit a new low with Carson Wentz. In his 101st start in the NFL, Wentz posted a career-worst 8.9 passer rating.

The Vikings play the Green Bay Packers on Sunday at Lambeau Field. The last game Cousins played for the Vikings was at Lambeau Field in October 2023, and a torn Achilles suffered during that game ended his season.

Why it matters

• The Vikings acquired a veteran quarterback to stabilize an offense ranked 27th in scoring while possessing the No. 1 scoring defense.
• The Raiders cleared the way for first overall pick Fernando Mendoza to become their starting quarterback and received a 2027 third-round pick.
• Cousins chose to return to Minnesota after the Raiders gave him the option to stay in Las Vegas or go back to the Vikings.

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Sources

• sportsnet.ca: Raiders send QB Kirk Cousins to Vikings - Sportsnet.ca
• vikings.com: Kirk Cousins Reconnects with Vikings After Trade from Raiders Prompts Whirlwind
• cbssports.com: Kirk Cousins traded to Vikings: Raiders gave QB option to stay or leave franchise, per report - CBS Sports
• sports.yahoo.com: Kirk Cousins trade offer was too good for Raiders to pass up - Yahoo Sports
• si.com: Inside the Kirk Cousins Trade, and How the Vikings and Raiders Both Won
• bleacherreport.com: Matt LaFleur 'Shocked' by Kirk Cousins Trade Price After Vikings-Raiders Deal at NFL Deadline

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.