Blockbuster Reunion: Vikings Reportedly Trade For Raiders QB Kirk Cousins

Sometimes, you have to go backward to go forward – or at least that’s what the Minnesota Vikings are telling themselves. The Las Vegas Raiders are trading quarterback Kirk Cousins to the Vikings for a 2027 third-round pick, ESPN reported on Tuesday afternoon. This trade reunites Cousins with the franchise he played for from 2018-23. Minnesota will reportedly send the Raiders a 2027 third-round pick in exchange for their former quarterback. Through the Raiders’ first nine games this year, the 38-year-old Cousins totaled 2,340 passing yards, 20 passing touchdowns, eight interceptions and a 97.1 passer rating, while completing 64.1% of his passes. Cousins’ first start is expected to be this Sunday at Lambeau Field against the Green Bay Packers (1 p.m. ET on FOX), which is the same location and team that he made his final appearance for the Vikings against back in October 2023. The move comes in the wake of Minnesota, which began the season 6-0, losing back-to-back games, with quarterback Carson Wentz – who was starting in place of the injured Kyler Murray (hamstring strain) – throwing two interceptions and completing just eight of 25 passes for 81 yards in the team’s Monday night loss at home to the Buffalo Bills. On that note, the Vikings’ offense is 31st in the NFL in both passing yards (160.8 per game) and total yards (266.8 per game), 27th in points (18.3 per game) and 19th in rushing yards (106.0 per game). Of course, Minnesota’s defense has primarily lifted the team to its 6-2 start, as the Vikings are first in the sport in opponent points (14.5 per game) and second in opponent total yards (280.0 per game). Las Vegas, which is 4-5, signed Cousins to a one-year deal in April to presumably be the veteran quarterback bridge to Fernando Mendoza, whom the Raiders selected with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft out of Indiana. Cousins’ 2023 season, which would be his last with the Vikings in his first stint with the franchise, was cut short after eight games due to a torn Achilles tendon. He then signed a four-year, $180 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons but was released two years later after a rocky partnership. Cousins was benched in Week 16 of the 2024 season and only returned to being the Falcons’ starting quarterback on a full-time basis after Michael Penix Jr. – who took over for Cousins – suffered a season-ending knee injury in Nov. 2025. Cousins is among the best and most productive quarterbacks in Vikings’ history. Across the 88 regular-season games that he has suited up for Minnesota, Cousins has totaled 23,265 passing yards (third in Vikings’ history), 171 passing touchdowns (second) and 50 wins (third). He’s also first in franchise history among quarterbacks who started more than 17 games with a combined 67.9 completion percentage and a 101.2 passer rating. Minnesota reached the playoffs twice with Cousins (2019 and 2022), with the Vikings’ last playoff win coming with him under center in 2019, that being an overtime win on the road over the New Orleans Saints in the NFC wild-card round. Moreover, three of Cousins’ four Pro Bowl nods have come with the Vikings (2019, 2021 and 2022). Cousins spent the first six seasons of his career with the Washington Commanders from 2012-17.