Cousins Trade Clears Way for Mendoza’s First Start

The Minnesota Vikings traded veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins from the Las Vegas Raiders for a 2027 third-round pick to address their struggling offense after Carson Wentz’s poor performance. Cousins returns to Minnesota, where he played from 2018 to 2023, after throwing for 2,340 yards and 20 touchdowns in nine starts for Las Vegas; a three-interception loss to San Francisco preceded the trade. The deal clears the way for rookie Fernando Mendoza, the 2026 No. 1 draft pick and reigning Heisman winner, to start for Las Vegas; his only regular-season appearance so far has been a brief relief stint. Mendoza is expected to make his first starts against Seattle and Denver as the Raiders turn to their planned franchise quarterback sooner than expected.