The Las Vegas Raiders traded veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins to the Minnesota Vikings on Tuesday, ending his nine-game stint with the team and clearing the way for rookie Fernando Mendoza to make his first NFL start against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. The move comes nine games into Mendoza’s rookie season, which began when he was selected first overall in the April NFL draft.
Minnesota will face Cousins in Week 10 when the Vikings host the Green Bay Packers, marking his official return to the franchise after a mid-2023 Achilles injury and a brief, unsuccessful tenure with the Atlanta Falcons in 2024. The Vikings, who have struggled at quarterback—including a 23-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Monday—were seeking an upgrade before the playoffs.
Raiders general manager John Spytek framed the decision as a reflection of Mendoza’s readiness, stating that the rookie had “passed every test” and earned the opportunity. “It’s something that he worked very hard for since the moment he walked into this building,” Spytek told reporters. The Raiders, now 4-5, retain a 15% playoff probability according to one tracker, though Spytek emphasized the move was not a surrender of the season.
Cousins leaves Las Vegas having thrown 20 touchdowns, the most by any quarterback traded midseason in NFL history, per NBC Sports research. He started the Raiders’ first three games of the season before a five-game losing streak. The Vikings, meanwhile, have explored other quarterback options in recent weeks. ESPN reported that the San Francisco 49ers offered Minnesota a trade for Mac Jones, but the asking price—a second-round pick and more—proved too steep. The 49ers, who have Brock Purdy and Jones on their roster, have fielded similar trade inquiries for Jones but have held firm on their valuation.
Analysts and insiders have weighed in on Cousins’ return to Minnesota. ESPN’s Mina Kimes suggested in an interview with Newsweek that Cousins’ familiarity with the Vikings’ offense could benefit the team, noting his six seasons in Minnesota and ability to execute Kevin O’Connell’s game plan. “He knows the offense. He’s a very good fit for [O’Connell’s] system,” Kimes said. She also noted that Cousins’ performance in Las Vegas—including his midseason trade—indicated he had regained form after his injury.
The trade deadline shuffle underscores the volatility of quarterback situations in the NFL. For the Raiders, the elevation of Mendoza represents a high-stakes gamble on a rookie who has yet to play in a regular-season game. For the Vikings, the acquisition of Cousins offers a potential playoff boost but comes with the risk of reintegrating a former starter who left under less-than-ideal circumstances. For Minnesota’s Week 10 matchup against Green Bay, the return of Cousins adds a layer of intrigue, while Mendoza’s debut against Seattle will be closely watched as a potential inflection point in the Raiders’ season.