The quarterback carousel finally has some movement after a few weeks of no news.
According to his agent, Mike McCartney, veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins is headed to Sin City, signing with the Las Vegas Raiders.
NFL Network Insider Mike Garafolo shared the news from Cousins’ agent Thursday morning.
After trading away Geno Smith to the New York Jets, and currently holding the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft in which they will presumably draft Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, the Raiders are adding a veteran to the room in Cousins, pairing him with new head coach Klint Kubiak to provide some stability at the most important position in sports, at least for the early portion of the 2026 season.
Cousins worked with Kubiak for three seasons in Minnesota, so there is plenty of familiarity there between the quarterback and his new head coach. According to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, Kubiak previously spoke about not wanting to rush a young quarterback onto the field, and while the assumption is Mendoza will be a Raider, Las Vegas can now take things slowly with him now that Cousins is in place.
New #Raiders coach Klint Kubiak worked with Kirk Cousins with the #Vikings for three seasons and recently discussed not wanting to rush a young QB onto the field.
A day after Fernando Mendoza’s Pro Day, Cousins lands with Las Vegas. pic.twitter.com/7ZxibQCxh1
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 2, 2026
Cousins previously spent the last two seasons in Atlanta, going 12-10 in 22 starts with the Falcons after coming over from Minnesota on a huge contract in free agency. His time in Atlanta didn’t go all that well as he battled a shoulder injury in his first season.
That injury-filled first season came after the Falcons shockingly drafted quarterback Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, just a month after giving Cousins $100 million guaranteed in free agency.
Cousins did bounce back some in 2025, stepping in for the injured Penix, starting eight games and throwing for 1,721 yards and 10 touchdowns to just five interceptions. He was released by the Falcons at the start of the new league year on March 11, and Atlanta then pivoted to sign Tua Tagovailoa to a one-year deal to compete with Penix.
Now, Cousins is off to Vegas to try and regroup, though he’ll have another first-round QB to compete with right away.
The decision to sign with the Raiders comes amid reports that the veteran quarterback was a potential Plan B for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who continue to wait for a decision from 42-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
According to NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero, the Steelers called the Falcons last season about a trade for Cousins, though nothing came about.
Now, that option is out the door as Cousins is reportedly a Raider, leaving the Steelers hoping Rodgers decides to play another season and sign with the Steelers, though there was a strange report from Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio Wednesday regarding Rodgers and a potential visit to the Denver Broncos, which was quickly shot down by a number of Broncos reporters.
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