Cousins Returns to Minnesota for 2027 Draft Pick

The Minnesota Vikings have secured a veteran quarterback for their 2026 season by trading with the Las Vegas Raiders. The team sent a third-round selection in the 2027 NFL Draft to Las Vegas in exchange for Kirk Cousins. This move ends a period of offensive inconsistency for Minnesota, which has struggled to establish a reliable passing attack this year.

Cousins has started all nine games for the Raiders so far in the 2026 campaign. He has completed 64.1% of his pass attempts for 2,340 yards. His production includes 20 touchdown passes and eight interceptions. Fernando Mendoza, the most recent number one overall pick, has served as the backup during this stretch.

The reunion pairs Cousins with head coach Kevin O'Connell, who worked with him in 2022 and 2023. In 2022, Cousins earned a Pro Bowl selection after throwing for 4,547 yards and 29 touchdowns. He also threw 14 interceptions that year. The following season, he started eight games before suffering a torn Achilles tendon against the Green Bay Packers.

Wide receiver Justin Jefferson benefited from that previous partnership. In 2022, he set career highs with 128 receptions and 1,809 yards, both league-leading figures. He also caught eight touchdowns and averaged 106.4 receiving yards per game. Jefferson had not posted comparable numbers in the years following the split.

Cousins left Minnesota as a free agent in 2024. He signed a four-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons worth $180 million. That relationship deteriorated after the team drafted Michael Penix Jr. in the first round of the 2024 draft. Cousins started 22 games for Atlanta but was released after the 2025 season concluded.

The trade was finalized after the Vikings lost 23-6 to the Buffalo Bills on Monday night. That defeat marked the third time this season that Minnesota failed to score a touchdown. The team, now 6-2, has 11 total touchdowns, a total tied with the winless Los Angeles Chargers for the lowest in the league.

Carson Wentz started that loss and completed eight of 25 passes for 81 yards. He threw two interceptions and had a third pass dropped. His 2.3 QBR was the lowest for any quarterback this season. It was also the lowest for a Vikings starter since Tarvaris Jackson in 2006.

Coach Kevin O'Connell stated that the team was in discussions about various positions, including the quarterback spot. He noted that the performance was not good enough in any way, shape, or form. Minnesota is the first team since 1925 to have at least six wins and at least three scoreless games in its first eight contests.

In Las Vegas, Fernando Mendoza will take over as the starting quarterback. He is expected to debut this week in a home game against the Seattle Seahawks. Aidan O'Connell is expected to serve as his backup. The Vikings roster also includes Kyler Murray and Max Brosmer.