On Tuesday's NFL trade deadline, the Minnesota Vikings showed they are going for it by trading for Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins in exchange for a 2027 3rd round pick. The Ringer's Tom Pelissero was the first to report on the move.
That move of Cousins leaving the Raiders has opened the door for the top pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, Fernando Mendoza, to assume his role as starting quarterback for Las Vegas. The time Cousins spent in Las Vegas, though it was short, was valuable to the rookie.
After the trade, Mendoza spoke to the media and offered his thanks to the veteran for the role he played in his development. He shared, "I wanted to make a statement where I really, truly from the bottom of my heart wanted to thank Kirk and the entire
Cousins family, whether it's Julie, Cooper, Turner. . ."
Mendzona continued on later, saying, "It would've been really easy for Kirk to, you know, being a veteran quarterback and kind of already have proven everything to be a little bit more dismissive, but he had me with open arms and has taught me so many things. . ."
The maturity that Cousins showed in that situation, and based on what Mendoza shared, proves the trade for Cousins will provide more than just on-field benefits. If he sticks around for 2027, he could be a perfect presence for a rookie quarterback.
This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Raiders top pick offers praise to Kirk Cousins from time together
