Vikings Bring Back Kirk Cousins in Deadline Trade With Raiders
The Minnesota Vikings have brought Kirk Cousins back to Minnesota.
The Vikings acquired the 38-year-old quarterback from the Las Vegas Raiders in a deal completed ahead of Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline, sending a 2027 third-round draft pick to Las Vegas in return. The deal was first reported by Tom Pelissero of The Ringer and later confirmed by both clubs. It remains subject to Cousins passing a physical.
Cousins wasted little time greeting his old supporters, posting “See you soon, MN! #SKOL” on social media shortly after the news broke, alongside a photograph of himself in his former Vikings uniform.
A reunion three years in the making
Cousins was Minnesota’s starting quarterback from 2018 to 2023, a six-season spell in which he went 50-37-1 as a starter, threw for 23,265 yards and 171 touchdowns, and was selected for the Pro Bowl three times. He left as a free agent after the 2023 season and spent two years with the Atlanta Falcons before joining the Raiders for 2026.
He started all nine games for Las Vegas this season, throwing for 2,340 yards with 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions, and the Raiders sit at 4-5. The reunion also pairs him again with head coach Kevin O’Connell, who worked with Cousins during his final two seasons in Minnesota.
Minnesota had explored several options before settling on its former quarterback. According to a report by Jordan Schultz, the Vikings also enquired about Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers, Daniel Jones of the Indianapolis Colts and Geno Smith of the New York Jets.
Why Minnesota made the move
The Vikings opened the season 6-0 but have lost two straight, including a 23-6 defeat by the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football. The offence has stalled badly: Minnesota ranks second-worst in the league in yardage through Week 9, even while its defence ranks second-best.
Offseason acquisition Kyler Murray has not rediscovered his early-career form, and a hamstring strain suffered in Week 8 kept him out of the Bills game. He also missed a game earlier this season because of concussion. With Murray sidelined, veteran back-up Carson Wentz made his second start of the season on Monday night. Across Wentz’s two starts, the offence has managed 15 total points and no touchdowns, with Wentz completing 19 of 45 passes for 224 yards and two interceptions.
The move is a measure of the club’s faith in its defence, which has been dominant for much of the season. Minnesota is allowing a league-best 14.5 points per game and is tied for the most sacks in the NFL, with 29.
What it costs — and what comes next for Las Vegas
The price is modest for a starting quarterback. Las Vegas receives a 2027 third-round pick and paid only $650,000 of Cousins’ light base salary for the 2026 season, according to Field Level Media. Minnesota will pay the balance of his salary and is on the hook for a $10 million roster bonus due in 2027.
For the Raiders, the trade clears the way for the future. No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, will take over as the starter after opening the season as Cousins’ back-up. Mendoza will make his first career start on Sunday at home against the Seattle Seahawks.
The deal also marks a reversal for Las Vegas. Over the weekend, reports said the Raiders were not interested in moving Cousins, but talks accelerated on Tuesday morning after Minnesota’s defeat the night before.
A familiar face for a playoff push
Cousins has made a career of fourth-quarter comebacks, and Minnesota will hope the reunion sparks its stalled offence in time for the run-in. The Vikings are in the thick of a tightly contested NFC North race, and Cousins could make his return on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field, although Minnesota has not officially named its starting quarterback for that game.
After Green Bay, Minnesota travels to Mexico City for a Sunday Night Football meeting with the San Francisco 49ers.
The trade follows years of quarterback moves that have not worked out for the franchise since Cousins first departed. Sam Darnold led the team to a 14-3 record after Cousins left, then departed for the Seattle Seahawks and immediately won a Super Bowl. J.J. McCarthy, drafted in the first round, struggled in 2025 and was traded to the New York Giants earlier this season, where he has since won his first two starts.
For now, though, Minnesota has chosen the familiar option. Cousins knows the building, knows the head coach and knows the division. Whether that is enough to rescue a season that started 6-0 and has suddenly stalled will become clear quickly — starting at Lambeau Field.
