The Vikings acquired Cousins from the Raiders on Tuesday in exchange for a 2027 third-round pick, Tom Pelissero of Netflix reports.
Minnesota had rolled to a 6-2 start to the season on the back of an elite defense, but the poor play of Kyler Murray (hamstring) and Carson Wentz under center had been a major concern that may have capped the team's potential of securing a playoff spot and making a deep run. The return of Cousins -- who previously directed the Minnesota offense from 2018 through 2023 -- should give the Vikings a notable upgrade over Murray and Wentz and help prop of the fantasy value of all of the team's key skill-position players. After a disappointing two-year run in Atlanta, Cousins bounced back nicely in Las Vegas to begin the season, completing 64.1 percent of his throws for 2,340 passing yards and a 20:8 TD:INT through nine games. His departure from Las Vegas will clear the way for 2026 No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza to take over as the team's new starting quarterback.