The 2026 NFL trade deadline took place Tuesday afternoon, with contenders from around the league making moves to bolster their rosters by trading future draft capital for players who can help them win now.
Several major trades dominated the headlines, but arguably the most notable was the Minnesota Vikings striking a deal with the Las Vegas Raiders to bring former starting quarterback Kirk Cousins back to the NFC North following a disastrous showing from Carson Wentz against the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football.
According to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, the Vikings sent their 2027 third-round pick to the Raiders in exchange for Cousins, reuniting the veteran quarterback with star wide receiver Justin Jefferson, a former LSU standout, and head coach Kevin O’Connell.
The move reunites Cousins with the team he played for from 2018-2023, and it gives Las Vegas the opportunity to finally turn the reins over the 2026 first overall pick and former Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza.
Currently sitting at 6-2 on the campaign in what has become the most competitive division in all of football, Minnesota was in desperate need of some stability under center after Kyler Murray went down with a hamstring injury in Week 8. The former Heisman winner and first overall pick from Oklahoma is currently listed as day-to-day, but the Vikings apparently believe that they cannot afford to wait around for Murray to heal up.
With Cousins now in the fold and the best defense in the NFL on the other side of the ball, it looks like the Vikings are going all-in on a Super Bowl push this season.
