The Atlanta Falcons released their four-time Pro Bowl quarterback on Wednesday, allowing him to gauge interest from various franchises on the free agent market.
Although the Minnesota Vikings are no longer a viable offseason destination for the 37-year-old signal caller following his release from the Falcons, an NFL insider recently reported that fans should expect him to land on the Las Vegas Raiders’ radar.
“Expect the Las Vegas Raiders to show interest in Kirk Cousins as they look for a veteran QB addition to help develop presumptive No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza,” The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported Wednesday.
At this stage of Cousins’ NFL career, he should embrace being a backup quarterback who could provide valuable mentorship to an organization’s starting/franchise signal caller. In this case, Cousins would help Mendoza as he navigates life in the pros and attempts to reach his full potential in Las Vegas.
Additionally, if Mendoza is unable to perform at any point during the 2026-27 season (perhaps due to an injury), the Raiders would have every reason to feel comfortable letting Cousins take control of Las Vegas’ offense for a brief period and keeping it afloat.
While Cousins didn’t have the best 2025-26 campaign with the Falcons, he’s enjoyed a respectable NFL career thus far. The 6-foot-3 quarterback has recorded 44,700 passing yards, 298 touchdowns, and 131 interceptions in 174 total games (Washington Commanders, Vikings, and Falcons).
To put it simply, it would make sense for the Raiders to be intrigued by Cousins this offseason.
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