Kirk Cousins Returns to the Vikings in Blockbuster NFL Trade Deadline Deal as Bills, 49ers, Chiefs and Broncos Strike

Kirk Cousins is coming home. Hours before the NFL trade deadline closed at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, the Minnesota Vikings reacquired their former quarterback from the Las Vegas Raiders, the headline move of a busy deadline day that also sent a ball-hawking safety to Buffalo, a veteran receiver to San Francisco and a young wideout to Kansas City. Here is every deal from deadline day, what each team gave up, and what it means for the rest of the season.

The short answer: The Las Vegas Raiders traded quarterback Kirk Cousins to the Minnesota Vikings for a 2027 third-round draft pick, ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Tuesday, November 10, 2026. The deal came less than a day after Minnesota’s offense failed to score a touchdown in a 23–6 Monday Night Football loss to the Buffalo Bills, and with starter Kyler Murray sidelined by a grade 2 hamstring injury. Cousins, 38, returns to the team he played for from 2018 through 2023 and could start Sunday against the Green Bay Packers.

The Cousins deal, in detail

The Vikings are sending their original 2027 third-round draft pick to Las Vegas in exchange for Cousins, according to Tom Pelissero of The Ringer, who first reported the agreement, with Schefter and Rapoport confirming it. Minnesota will also take on Cousins’ remaining base salary for this season and a $10 million guaranteed roster bonus due next March, Pelissero reported.

Talks accelerated on Tuesday morning, hours after the Vikings’ 23–6 loss to the Bills on Monday night. The move is a sharp reversal from the Raiders’ position over the weekend, when Schefter reported Las Vegas had received no calls about Cousins and had no plans to trade him. As of Tuesday afternoon, the trade had been reported by ESPN and NFL Network but had not yet been accompanied by a formal announcement from either team.

Cousins started all nine games for the Raiders this season, completing 64.1 percent of his passes for 2,340 yards, 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions, with a passer rating of 97.1. The four-time Pro Bowl selection left Minnesota as a free agent in 2024 and signed with Las Vegas in April 2026 as a veteran bridge to rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Why Minnesota made the move now

The Vikings are 6–2 and still in the thick of the NFC North race, but their quarterback room fell apart in a single night. Kyler Murray missed Monday’s loss to Buffalo with a hamstring injury, and backup Carson Wentz struggled badly in his place, completing 8 of 25 passes for 81 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions.

Murray is dealing with a grade 2 hamstring injury that is week to week and is expected to miss more time, Prime Video’s James Palmer reported on Tuesday. That left Minnesota with a choice: ride out the injury with Wentz, or bring back a quarterback who already knows the franchise. Cousins played six seasons in Minnesota from 2018 through 2023 and knows the building, the fan base and the expectations.

Palmer added that Cousins slides in on a Tuesday with possibly enough time to start against the Packers on Sunday, November 15, at Green Bay. Head coach Kevin O’Connell has not yet named a starter, but the timing of the trade — completed with five days before kickoff — suggests the Vikings want Cousins ready to play right away. For context on just how bad Monday night was for Minnesota’s offense, see our recap of the Bills’ 23–6 win over the Vikings.

What the trade means for the Raiders

For Las Vegas, the deal is a clear handover. Rookie Fernando Mendoza will now take over as the Raiders’ starting quarterback, Schefter reported, after spending the first nine games of the season learning behind Cousins. The Raiders are 4–5, and Mendoza’s first two career starts will come against two of the NFL’s top defenses, the Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos.

Trading Cousins also gives the Raiders an extra 2027 third-round pick as they build around their No. 1 overall pick. The risk is obvious: Mendoza is being thrown in against elite defenses with a roster that was built to win now around a veteran quarterback. The reward, if he plays well, is a head start on the franchise’s future.

Every trade from deadline day

Cousins was the biggest name, but he was far from the only player moved before the 4 p.m. ET deadline on Tuesday, November 10, 2026. Here are the deals completed on deadline day:

• Kirk Cousins, QB, Raiders to Vikings — Minnesota sends a 2027 third-round pick to Las Vegas and takes on Cousins’ remaining salary and a $10 million roster bonus due in March.
• Amani Hooker, S, Titans to Bills — Buffalo sends a second-round pick to Tennessee and receives Hooker plus a fifth-round pick. Hooker is tied for the league lead with five interceptions this season.
• Keenan Allen, WR, Colts to 49ers — San Francisco adds a veteran rental receiver for a 2027 sixth-round pick.
• Josh Downs, WR, Colts to Chiefs — Kansas City sends 2027 fourth- and fifth-round picks to Indianapolis, with the Colts also sending a 2027 seventh-round pick.
• Daiyan Henley, LB, Chargers to Broncos — Denver acquires the linebacker for a 2027 fourth-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick.

Not every rumored deal got done. The Indianapolis Colts held on to quarterback Daniel Jones and running back Jonathan Taylor despite heavy speculation about both players, even while trading away DeForest Buckner, Quenton Nelson, Josh Downs and Keenan Allen. And one deal fell apart at the finish line: the Philadelphia Eagles agreed to trade edge rusher Arnold Ebiketie to the Cincinnati Bengals for a 2027 sixth-round pick, but the deal was called off after its impact on the compensatory draft pick formula came to light.

The Monday moves that set the table

Deadline day was the second act. Monday’s trading was headlined by the Jacksonville Jaguars, who went all-in on defense by acquiring defensive tackle Jordan Davis from the Philadelphia Eagles for a 2027 first-round pick and a 2029 second-round pick, safety Jessie Bates III from the Atlanta Falcons, and defensive tackle Davon Godchaux from the New Orleans Saints.

Other Monday deals included safety Andre Cisco going from the New York Jets to the Detroit Lions for a 2028 sixth-round pick, and veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett moving from the Arizona Cardinals to the Baltimore Ravens. Earlier in the trade window, the Chicago Bears paid two first-round picks for Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, the 49ers reacquired DeForest Buckner from the Colts, the Seahawks landed guard Quenton Nelson from Indianapolis, and the Houston Texans acquired receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. from Arizona.

The trade window is now closed for the rest of the 2026 season. Teams cannot make another trade until the new league year begins in March 2027, which makes Tuesday’s decisions final — for better or worse.

Read Also:
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– Packers Beat Patriots 45–27 as Jordan Love Throws for 372 Yards

Frequently Asked Questions

What did the Vikings give up for Kirk Cousins?
Minnesota sent its original 2027 third-round draft pick to the Las Vegas Raiders. The Vikings also take on Cousins’ remaining base salary for the 2026 season and a $10 million guaranteed roster bonus due in March 2027.

Will Kirk Cousins start for the Vikings against the Packers on Sunday?
It is possible. Kyler Murray is week to week with a grade 2 hamstring injury, and Prime Video’s James Palmer reported Cousins arrived on a Tuesday with possibly enough time to start at Green Bay on Sunday, November 15. Head coach Kevin O’Connell has not yet named a starter.

Who is the Raiders’ quarterback now?
Rookie Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. He takes over as Las Vegas’ starter, with his first two career starts coming against the Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos.

What were the biggest trades of the 2026 NFL trade deadline?
Kirk Cousins returning to Minnesota was the headline deal. Other major moves included safety Amani Hooker joining the 7–1 Bills, Keenan Allen going to the 49ers, Josh Downs landing with the Chiefs, and the Jaguars’ Monday haul of Jordan Davis, Jessie Bates III and Davon Godchaux.

Why did the Arnold Ebiketie trade to the Bengals fall through?
The Eagles and Bengals agreed on a deal sending Ebiketie to Cincinnati for a 2027 sixth-round pick, but it was called off after the trade’s impact on the compensatory draft pick formula came to light.

When can NFL teams trade players again?
Not until the new league year begins in March 2027. The trade deadline closed at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, and no trades can be made for the rest of the 2026 season.

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