Report: Vikings first reached out to Raiders about Kirk Cousins on "midday Monday"
NBC Sports • • sports
Key Points:
- The Minnesota Vikings initiated trade talks with the Las Vegas Raiders for quarterback Kirk Cousins before Monday night's game, waiting to see Carson Wentz's performance before proceeding.
- Following Wentz's poor showing with an 8.9 passer rating in a 23-6 loss, the Vikings quickly resumed talks and finalized the trade early Tuesday morning.
- The Vikings initially offered a fifth-round pick, but after moving up to a third-round pick, the Raiders accepted, acquiring the pick while avoiding a $10 million guaranteed bonus for Cousins.
- The Raiders effectively purchased a third-round pick for $650,000, gaining nine starts from Cousins, four wins, and valuable mentorship for rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
- While some believe the Raiders could have secured more, they balanced maximizing value with the risk of the Vikings seeking another trade partner.
