Vikings bring back QB Kirk Cousins in a trade with the Raiders to lift a struggling offense

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The Minnesota Vikings reacquired quarterback Kirk Cousins to try to revive their sputtering offense, beating the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday with an agreement to send their 2027 third-round draft pick to the Las Vegas Raiders.

What happened

Notably, the accord, which was contingent on Cousins passing a physical, created an opening for rookie Fernando Mendoza to take over with the Raiders and a spark for a Vikings team that kicked off 6-0 but has been stuck in a quarterback quandary that has threatened to waste a dominant showing by the defense.

Meanwhile, the 38-year-old Cousins had some of his best career performances with the Vikings while helping them win 13 games in 2022 in coach Kevin O'Connell's debut. He was playing even better halfway through the after season when he tore his Achilles tendon during a game at Green Bay in Week 8.

Guess where the Vikings play on Sunday? Lambeau Field, to face the rival Packers.

The bottom line

In short, vikings bring back QB Kirk Cousins in a trade with the Raiders is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.