Cousins rejoins the Vikings, where familiarity and comfort will help him prepare to play Packers

The Minnesota Vikings acquired quarterback Kirk Cousins in a deadline-day trade with the Las Vegas Raiders, sending a 2027 third-round draft pick to Las Vegas for the veteran passer. The move reunites Cousins with head coach Kevin O'Connell, who was his quarterbacks coach in Washington in 2017, and an offense he ran during his previous six seasons in Minnesota.

Cousins said the familiarity with O'Connell and the system will help him prepare quickly. "Kevin knows what I do well. Kevin knows what I don't do well. Kevin knows what I can handle. Kevin knows what I can't handle," Cousins said Wednesday after arriving at team headquarters. O'Connell stopped short of naming Cousins the starter for Sunday's game at Green Bay, saying the team is working toward that but wants to ensure he feels ready.

The Vikings turned to Cousins after consecutive losses dropped them from a 6-0 start. Quarterback Kyler Murray has been sidelined by a strained hamstring, and Carson Wentz completed just 8 of 25 passes for 81 yards with three turnovers in a 23-6 loss to Buffalo. Through eight games, Cousins ranks second in the NFL with 20 touchdown passes and fifth with 2,340 yards.

Packers coach Matt LaFleur said he expects to face Cousins, who tore his Achilles tendon at Lambeau Field in October 2023. "Obviously he's got familiarity with their system. Even if he didn't, he's a really intelligent guy, and I think he's been playing at a high level," LaFleur said, adding he was shocked by the low trade cost. Vikings general manager Nolan Teasley said discussions to upgrade the roster had been ongoing for weeks and were not solely prompted by Wentz's performance.

Cousins originally signed with Minnesota in 2018 and received two contract extensions before leaving for Atlanta in 2024 on a deal with $100 million guaranteed. The Falcons drafted Michael Penix Jr. eighth overall and released Cousins after two seasons. He then signed with the Raiders to play for coach Klint Kubiak, who had worked closely with him in Minnesota.

Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal