It's happening. Kirk Cousins is headed (back) to Minnesota. Hours after the Vikings suffered a brutal 23-6 defeat to the Bills on Monday night, they made a bold move, sending their 2027 third round pick to Las Vegas to find their much-needed answer at quarterback.
Blockbuster! The Raiders are trading four-time Pro Bowl QB Kirk Cousins to the Vikings for their 2027 third-round pick, sources tell @ringer @netflixsports.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) November 10, 2026
Cousins returns to Minnesota for the playoff push, while Las Vegas turns to No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza. pic.twitter.com/3SvmtZu6er
The 38-year-old has had a resurgent season in 2026. Even coming off a rough outing against the 49ers, Cousins still sits second in the NFL in touchdown passes (40) and fifth in passing yards (2340).
These are the best numbers Cousins has put up since he was last with the Vikings. He spent six years in Minnesota, making three of his four Pro Bowls there, three times leading them to the playoffs.
As for the Raiders, it was known from the moment Cousins signed on with them back in March that they would be selecting Fernando Mendoza number one overall and that meant Captain Kirk was just keeping the seat warm until the kid was ready.
I noted at the time of the signing that, among the many benefits to Cousins's signing was his potential as a trade commodity at the deadline. And here we are.
The Vikings get a steady veteran presence at QB who reunites with several teammates and will not squander the defense's accomplishments. While the Raiders get a third round pick next year to help with the rebuild while only perhaps bumping up Fernando Mendoza's timeline by a few weeks.
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: BREAKING: Raiders trade QB Kirk Cousins to Vikings
