The Minnesota Vikings were desperate to make a trade for a quarterback before the deadline after Monday night's tough loss to the Buffalo Bills at home. Later in the day on Tuesday, they did just that, reuniting with a familiar face in the process.
“Blockbuster! The Raiders are trading four-time Pro Bowl QB Kirk Cousins to the Vikings for their 2027 third-round pick,” reported NFL insider Tom Pelissero of The Ringer on X, formerly Twitter.
The move reunites the Vikings with Cousins after he spent multiple seasons there with head coach Kevin O'Connell, finding considerable success in the process. Minnesota's defense has been elite this year but its offense has stumbled, with neither Kyler Murray nor Carson Wentz finding consistent success under center, making it clear that the team had to make a change before the deadline.
Meanwhile, this move now officially hands the keys to number one overall draft pick Fernando Mendoza in Las Vegas. Mendoza has yet to make a start at the NFL level, but that will now change after he spent half of his rookie season learning behind Cousins.
Cousins got off to a hot start to the year in Las Vegas, and although he has cooled off a bit in recent weeks, he is still a competent veteran quarterback who should provide an upgrade for the Vikings immediately at the position.
In any case, the Vikings will next hit the field on Sunday vs the Green Bay Packers, while Mendoza looks slated to make his first NFL start the same day vs the Seattle Seahawks.