Raiders GM Explains Kirk Cousins Trade, Praises Fernando Mendoza After Surprise Vikings Deal

The Las Vegas Raiders did not tell Kirk Cousins they were going to move him before they traded the quarterback to the Minnesota Vikings for a third-round draft pick because they did not expect there was going to be a trade on Tuesday.

"There was nothing to speak about," general manager John Spytek told reporters when revealing he didn't speak to Cousins before the move. "We didn't have any expectation that this was coming."

Spytek also said Las Vegas wasn't actively shopping him and "never made one call on Kirk Cousins. I got a few phone calls, but one real one this morning."

That the Raiders traded Cousins comes as no surprise.

While they are still in the AFC playoff picture at 4-5, they also selected Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2026 NFL draft. They were eventually going to turn to him as the franchise quarterback of the future, and Cousins was largely just a placeholder until the Indiana product was ready.

Minnesota, which needed a quarterback to pair with its dominant defense, also offered a solid draft pick and familiar landing spot for the veteran.

"We (were) all staring the future in the face here with Fernando, and Kirk was very open with that when we got him," Spytek said . "We had to decide: Do we want to go forward here over the last eight games, or do we want to take what Minnesota is offering right now? Ultimately, we decided to do that."

Spytek also believes the top draft pick is ready for the spotlight, adding Mendoza "passed every test."

He continued and said, "It's something that he's worked very hard for since the moment he walked into this building. I want to stop short of saying he's earned it, but he put us in a position where we had to make a really hard decision today, with his growth as a person, as a teammate, as a leader, as a quarterback."

As for Cousins, he played for the Vikings from 2018 through 2023 and was a three-time Pro Bowler during that span. He also threw for more than 4,000 yards in four different seasons and already has chemistry with No. 1 receiver Justin Jefferson.

It should be an easy transition for the signal-caller, who will now look to lead the Vikings to the Super Bowl following their 6-2 start.

From the Vikings' perspective, they likely had plenty of urgency when it came to the quarterback position this season. Kyler Murray is dealing with a hamstring injury, while Carson Wentz was terrible in his place during Monday's loss to the Buffalo Bills.

Wentz finished 8-of-25 for 81 yards, zero touchdowns and two interceptions as the offense struggled throughout the game. Murray hasn't exactly been great either with just five touchdown passes to three interceptions through six games.

Ideally for the Vikings, Cousins will come in and elevate the ceiling for a team that is already in the middle of the NFC playoff race.