The Raiders’ interest in Kirk Cousins has indeed produced an agreement. A deal is in place, agent Mike McCartney announced on Thursday.
Vegas was identified yesterday as a suitor in Cousins’ case. The team stays on target to pick out Fernando Mendoza first overall on this month’s draft, but adding veteran insurance has been a goal this offseason. Head coach Klint Kubiak recently noted his preference for having Mendoza sit at the start of his NFL profession, pointing to a signing reminiscent of this.
Cousins has been available on the market since his long-expected Falcons release. The four-time Pro Bowler didn’t wind up being traded through the 2025 offseason, establishing a second campaign in Atlanta. Cousins still wound up making eight starts this past season despite Michael Penix Jr. opening the 12 months atop the depth chart. The Falcons proceeded with a cut in Cousins’ case, ending his tenure with the team halfway through a four-year, $160MM contract. Penix and Tua Tagovailoa will compete for the QB1 gig in Atlanta this summer.
No such training camp battle ought to be anticipated in Vegas given today’s news. Cousins can be tasked with handling starting duties while Mendoza begins his NFL acclimation period. A stint atop the depth chart in some unspecified time in the future through the 2026 campaign can in fact be expected for the Heisman winner, considering the timeline along which rookie quarterbacks enter the lineup in the trendy NFL. For now, though, Cousins will prepare for a period where he’s positioned to guide an offense.
Vegas traded for Geno Smith last offseason, reuniting him with head coach Pete Carroll. Nothing went based on plan on offense in 2025, though, and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly didn’t last the total season. It got here as no surprise when Carroll was fired immediately after the campaign ended, nor when it became clear Smith wouldn’t return for 2026. He was traded to the Jets, creating the necessity for a veteran acquisition. Cousins, who can be 38 by the beginning of next season, definitely matches the bill.
Prior to today’s Raiders agreement, the Packers, Rams and Steelers had been linked to Cousins. Each of those teams could stand so as to add an experienced passer to their depth chart, with Pittsburgh’s QB1 role uncertain until Aaron Rodgers‘ decision on his playing future is made. The backup spots in Green Bay and Los Angeles, meanwhile, will should be filled by one other free agent or a draft pick.
Cousins’ six-year Vikings tenure got here to an abrupt end when he suffered an Achilles tear midway through the 2023 season. His preference would have been to stay in Minnesota, however the potential for a multiyear starting spot in Atlanta led to his free agent departure. Things modified unexpectedly when Penix was drafted shortly thereafter, and Cousins was replaced atop the Falcons’ depth chart late in his debut season with the team. In all, he made 22 starts with Atlanta and posted several numbers below his profession average while totaling 28 touchdown passes and 21 interceptions.
Expectations can be tempered upon arrival in Vegas for Cousins consequently. He’s already owed $10MM from the Falcons for 2026, nonetheless, so this deal may not require a serious financial commitment on the a part of the Raiders.