Lamar Jackson’s thumb injury has put the Baltimore Ravens in a desperate situation. But a new trade pitch aimed at the Las Vegas Raiders solves both the Ravens quarterback problem, and ushers in the next era of Raiders football.
The new trade pitch opens the door on the Fernando Mendoza era in Las Vegas by shipping 15-year veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins to Baltimore to take over the suddenly vacant QB job there. A third-round draft pick stands as the proposed price for Cousins before the Nov. 10 trade deadline.
With the Raiders at 4-4 and the 2026 No. 1 overall pick sitting behind Cousins, the trade would force Las Vegas to choose between a playoff push and a move into their own future.
Jackson, a two-time MVP, hurt his right thumb on the first play against the Buffalo Bills in Week 8. He needs surgery, will miss at least four games and it’s likely done for the year, according to Sporting News. Backup Tyler Huntley is out for the season with turf toe, leaving undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano in line to start Thursday night against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Baltimore was reportedly finalizing a deal for Arizona’s Jacoby Brissett, but former NFL general manager Mike Tannenbaum is among the analysts who named Cousins as a Ravens option.
Las Vegas Raiders Quarterback Kirk Cousins’ Career Résumé
Cousins, 38, was born Aug. 19, 1988, in Barrington, Illinois, and earned second-team All-Big Ten honors at Michigan State. Washington took him in the fourth round, 102nd overall, in 2012. He sat behind Robert Griffin III until 2015, then led the team to a division title and his first Pro Bowl.
Minnesota signed him to a fully guaranteed three-year deal in 2018. He made three more Pro Bowls as a Viking, in 2019, 2021 and 2022, and threw a career-high 35 touchdown passes in 2020. An Achilles tear in 2023 led him to the Atlanta Falcons, and he joined the Raiders in April, reuniting with head coach Klint Kubiak, his former Vikings offensive coordinator.
Cousins has 46,824 career passing yards and 317 touchdowns against 136 interceptions. This season, he is 180-of-283 for 2,124 yards with 19 touchdown passes, five interceptions and a 101.4 passer rating. Only Joe Burrow, with 20, has thrown more touchdowns.
Las Vegas Raiders Weigh Fernando Mendoza Timeline Amid Cousins Trade Talk
A deal would open the starting job for Mendoza, the Indiana star who won the Heisman Trophy and a national title after completing 72% of his passes for 3,535 yards, 41 touchdowns and six interceptions in a 16-0 season. As a pro, he has thrown only in garbage time, going 6-of-8 for 48 yards in a Week 5 loss to the New England Patriots. Aidan O’Connell would serve as Mendoza’s backup.
Owner Mark Davis has said there is “no pressure” to rush Mendoza, according to CNBC.
Las Vegas beat the New York Jets 38-33 on Nov. 1 to end a four-game skid, and sits third in the AFC West. The Raiders opened 3-0, then lost to Kansas City, New England, Buffalo and the Los Angeles Rams. Cousins answered with 247 yards, three touchdown passes and a rushing score against New York.
A third-round pick may not be enough to pry Cousins loose, according to FanSided, which also calls a second-rounder too steep for a 38-year-old on a one-year deal that might yield only a wild-card berth.
Jackson is signed through 2027 on a five-year, $260 million contract, carries an $84.3 million cap hit in 2027 and holds no-trade and no-tag clauses. Extension talks stalled during the offseason.
Raiders Trade Pitch Sends Kirk Cousins to Ravens to Start Fernando Mendoza Era