Kirk Cousins will be returning to Minnesota, where the quarterback played from 2018 to 2023. The Vikings shipped a 2027 third-round pick to the Raiders for the signal-caller ahead of Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline.
A third-round pick might be a steep price on the NFL trade market, but that notion doesn’t apply to the quarterback position.
While it’d be fair to have qualms about moving on from him three years ago only to give up draft capital to re-acquire him (after struggling to find stability ever since), it’s hard to be upset about giving up a third-round pick for Cousins at this stage. The Vikings appeared to be a QB away, and now we’ll see if that notion rings true.
As it turns out, the Raiders initially hoped to receive much better compensation for Cousins. NFL insider Jordan Schultz provided insight into their thought process via a post on X.
“The Raiders initially asked for a second-round pick, then they lowered their demands to a third-round pick, but it wasn’t the Vikings’ third-rounder; it was the one they actually acquired from the Jonathan Greenard trade with Philadelphia. That was still a ‘no’ from the Vikings,” Schultz said. “And then finally, they were able to sell the Raiders on the third-round pick that is theirs, which is obviously not going to be a super high pick.”
The Raiders Were Eager To Pass The Torch To Fernando Mendoza
One thing is clear from this situation. The Vikings may have been eager to land a quarterback, but the Raiders were also eager to see what the first-overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft can do.
Cousins performed admirably as Las Vegas’ bridge quarterback, but Fernando Mendoza will now take the reins. The Raiders clearly think he’s ready to step in and provide a substantial impact.
It’ll be interesting to see how he performs the rest of the way. The Raiders might sit at a middling 4-5, but Cousins isn’t to blame for their struggles. He’s thrown for the fifth-most yards (2340 yards) and second-most touchdowns (20) in the league.
With the Raiders’ rushing attack struggling mightily (their 71.3 yards on the ground ranks 31st), the 38-year-old has surprisingly been an elevator on the offensive side of the ball.
The Vikings Might’ve Finally Found Stability At QB Position
If Cousins can pick up where he left off in Las Vegas with the Vikings, they’ll become legitimate contenders in the NFC. They arguably have the league’s best defense this season and plenty of playmakers on offense.
Virtually the only thing holding Minnesota back this season has been sub-par play at quarterback. Their 160.8 yards per game through the air ranks 31st, and Kyler Murray has thrown only five touchdowns over his six starts.
The Vikings don’t need Cousins to be the star of the show in Minnesota. They’ll only need him to do a better job of taking advantage of their offensive supporting cast. It’s painfully obvious they were missing someone who could do that over the first half of the season.
Vikings Received Kirk Cousins For Much Lower Than Raiders Asking Price