Sports · American Football · 1 hr ago
Raiders reportedly plan to keep Kirk Cousins as trade deadline nears
The Las Vegas Raiders reportedly plan to keep Kirk Cousins as their starting quarterback for now.
Cousins has started every game this season, and through eight starts he has 19 touchdown passes and a 101.4 passer rating.
The Raiders have the 2026 top draft pick, rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza, waiting to take over when the team believes he is ready.
The Minnesota Vikings have been linked to Cousins, who played for them from 2018 to 2023, as they pursue the playoffs and deal with Kyler Murray’s hamstring injury.
The accounts differ on trade interest: one says the Raiders received no calls and want to keep Cousins, while another argues teams are likely to inquire.
The trade deadline is Tuesday at 4 p.m.
ET, so the Raiders’ position could still change before then.
The Raiders reportedly plan to keep Kirk Cousins as their starting quarterback as Tuesday’s trade deadline approaches.
The team has reportedly received no trade calls about Cousins this weekend and is not interested in dealing him.
Las Vegas plans to keep Cousins in place until it believes rookie Fernando Mendoza is ready to start.
Cousins has started every game for the Raiders this season, and the team entered Week 9 with a 4-4 record.
The Minnesota Vikings have been linked to Cousins as they pursue a playoff spot and deal with Kyler Murray’s hamstring injury.
- Who
- The Las Vegas Raiders and quarterback Kirk Cousins.
- What
- The Raiders reportedly plan to keep Cousins rather than trade him before the deadline.
- When
- Ahead of the Tuesday trade deadline; the reports were published November 8 and 9, 2026.
- Where
- Las Vegas, Nevada. The Minnesota Vikings have also been mentioned as a possible destination.
- Why
- The Raiders reportedly want Cousins to remain their starter until rookie Fernando Mendoza is ready.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Cousins played for the Minnesota Vikings.
Cousins started every game for the Raiders through the start of Week 9.
CBS Sports reported that the Raiders had received no calls about Cousins and were not interested in trading him.
ProFootballTalk argued that the Raiders should consider trading Cousins and said the Vikings should inquire.
The NFL trade deadline is scheduled to arrive.
- Raiders record entering Week 9
- 4-4
- Cousins passing touchdowns entering Week 9
- 19
- Cousins completion rate
- 63.6%
- Cousins passer rating
- 101.4
- Mendoza
- No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft
- Deadline
- Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. ET
5 sources
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What people are saying
had not received any trade inquiries
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As of this weekend, the Raiders had not received any trade inquiries regarding their starting quarterback Kirk Cousins, nor are they interested in dealing him, per league sources. They plan to keep sticking with him until they believe their No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza is