Vikings trade for Raiders QB Cousins

EAGAN, Minn. — The Vikings reacquired quarterback Kirk Cousins in a trade with the Raiders on Tuesday, sending a 2027 third-round pick to Las Vegas.

With the trade, 2026 No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza will take over as the Raiders’ starting quarterback, beginning this week at home against the Seattle Seahawks. Aidan O’Connell will be Mendoza’s backup.

Cousins posted a goodbye to the Raiders on his Instagram story, writing, “Thank you Raiders Nation! Go get em @fernandomendoza.”

Trade talks between the teams didn’t materialize until Tuesday, according to Las Vegas general manager John Spytek, who said the team was not actively looking to trade Cousins. Spytek said he received a few phone calls about Cousins until the most important one came from Vikings GM Nolan Teasley. He and Teasley spoke on the phone for a while to hammer down the framework on a deal that made sense for both sides.

Spytek said he did not speak to Cousins before Tuesday about the possibility of him being traded.

“There was nothing to speak about,” Spytek said. “We didn’t have any expectation that this was coming.”

Once a trade appeared to be a reality, Spytek and coach Klint Kubiak sat down with Cousins to present the offer they had and why they felt it was the best decision for the Raiders.

According to Spytek, “It wasn’t the easiest conversation,” but it was a very productive one.

“We [were] all staring the future in the face here with Fernando, and Kirk’s been very open with that, was very open with that when we got him,” Spytek said. “We had to decide: Do we want to go forward here over the last eight games, or do we want to take what Minnesota is offering right now? Ultimately, we decided to do that.”

Unless the Vikings work out a change to Cousins’ contract, they will owe him the remainder of his $1.3 million base salary this season and then a $10 million roster bonus this spring.

The Vikings released wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. on Tuesday to create a spot on the 53-man roster for Cousins. Beckham will re-sign to the team’s practice squad, a source told NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

The Vikings have lost consecutive games after a 6-0 start, with their offense managing only 19 points over that stretch. But their defense and special teams rank among the NFL’s best, and team decision-makers were determined to optimize their chances at a playoff run.

Cousins played for the Vikings from 2018 to 2023, and the Vikings have been unable to find a permanent replacement since his departure to the Atlanta Falcons via free agency in spring 2024. The deal comes less than 24 hours after veteran Carson Wentz turned in the worst performance by a Vikings quarterback since 2006, compiling a 2.3 QBR while completing 8 of 25 passes for 81 yards and committing three turnovers.

Wentz was playing for presumed starter Kyler Murray, who sat out Monday night’s game because of a Grade 2 hamstring strain. Murray, who signed a one-year contract with the Vikings this spring, has struggled in his own right and ranks No. 27 in QBR (45.7).

Cousins, 38, played two seasons for Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell in Minnesota (2022-23) and was a Pro Bowl selection in 2022 when he threw for 4,547 yards with 29 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. In 2023, he started eight games before suffering a torn Achilles in a game against the Green Bay Packers.

Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson enjoyed his finest season in 2022 while playing with Cousins, setting career bests with 128 catches and 1,809 yards, which both led the NFL. He also had eight touchdown catches and led the NFL with 106.4 receiving yards per game.

Cousins has rebounded from two years of struggles brought on by his recovery from a torn Achilles to throw 20 touchdown passes this season for the Raiders, second most in the NFL.

The team’s handling of the position since Cousins’ departure contributed heavily to the firing of former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah in January, and it is threatening to swamp O’Connell and Teasley.

The Vikings have had eight quarterbacks start a game since then, and this week would mark the 15th time their starter has changed from one week of a season to another if Wentz does not play against the Packers.

At one point in the 2024 season, the Vikings had three former first-round draft picks on their roster: Sam Darnold, J.J. McCarthy and Daniel Jones. But Darnold and Jones both departed as free agents after the season, believing the Vikings would soon commit to McCarthy, but the Vikings gave up on McCarthy this summer after only 10 starts and 253 career pass attempts.

Darnold helped the Seahawks to victory in Super Bowl LX last season. Jones was in the MVP conversation with the Indianapolis Colts before tearing his right Achilles tendon last season, and McCarthy has led the New York Giants to wins in his first two starts since the Vikings traded him for a fifth-round pick in September.

Since the start of the 2025 season, the Vikings have the NFL’s second-worst team QBR (36.3).

Cousins was a placeholder at starting quarterback for the Raiders until Mendoza was ready. The Raiders selected Mendoza with the hope that he can become their franchise quarterback, adding stability at the position for the foreseeable future. He showcased the potential to fill that role during his lone season at Indiana.

But the Raiders understood they had to be patient with Mendoza’s adjustment to the next level. That’s why Cousins was named the starting quarterback to begin training camp. He exceeded expectations, throwing for 2,340 yards, 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions in nine starts. He completed 64.1% of his passes and finished with a 98 passer rating.

ESPN’s Ryan McFadden contributed to this report.