Cousins’s return gives Minnesota an experienced option and opens a start for Mendoza
The Vikings agreed to send Las Vegas a 2027 third-round pick for their former quarterback. The Raiders have named their rookie as the Week 10 starter.
The NFL trade deadline changed the quarterback choices for two teams on 10 November. Minnesota announced it was bringing back Kirk Cousins from the Las Vegas Raiders, with the deal pending a physical at the time of the announcement. The Vikings’ transaction log lists the price as a 2027 third-round draft pick. Las Vegas named rookie Fernando Mendoza its starter heading into Week 10.
Cousins, 38, spent the 2018 to 2023 seasons with Minnesota, then played for Atlanta before joining Las Vegas in April. He has already played under Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell, who took charge before the 2022 season. Minnesota says Cousins started all nine Raiders games this season, throwing for 2,340 yards and 20 touchdowns with eight interceptions.
The move follows a difficult Monday for Minnesota
The Vikings lost 23–6 to Buffalo the night before the deadline. Kyler Murray was sidelined with a hamstring strain and Carson Wentz started in his place, as Associated Press reported in its account of the trade. Minnesota now has another experienced quarterback available to prepare for the second half of the season, subject to the conditions of the deal and the team's selection decisions.
Las Vegas has been more specific about its immediate plan. The club named Mendoza, the first overall pick in the 2026 draft, as the starter against Seattle on 15 November. The Raiders say he had appeared in one regular-season game before the announcement. Starting a game will give the coaching staff a longer look at how he handles the offence across a full contest.
Analysis — the two teams bought different things
Minnesota gave up a future draft choice for an option it can use this season. Cousins’s prior work with O’Connell may help with a quick handover, although the value of that familiarity depends on how much of the current offence translates to what he previously ran. The immediate question is how quickly he can practise with the current group and handle the calls the coaches expect to use.
The Raiders gained a future pick and assigned the current job to the player they drafted first overall. That creates a clearer opportunity to assess Mendoza through game preparation and live decisions. His opening assignment against Seattle will provide evidence about his first start, with any longer judgement depending on what follows.
For Minnesota, the first observable decision will be who takes the opening snaps against Green Bay. The trade sets up that choice. What happens from there will depend on how the Vikings protect their quarterback and whether the passing game finds a rhythm with the players already on the roster.