Vikings strike up blockbuster trade to reunite with $333m QB and put Super Bowl path back on track

The Minnesota Vikings have struck a deal with the Las Vegas Raiders to bring back quarterback Kirk Cousins. After their dismal Monday Night Football showing against the Buffalo Bills , in which their issues on offense was exposed, the Vikings had no choice but to enter the market and seek a trade for a quarterback. And their saviour is a familiar face, with the Vikings waiting until the eleventh hour of the NFL trade deadline to secure a reunion. Vikings general manager Nolan Teasley was able to get a deal over the line with the Raiders to land veteran signal caller Kirk Cousins . All it took to reunite with their former franchise star was a 2027 third-round pick. It’s a homecoming of sorts for the 38-year-old Cousins, who was the Vikings’ star quarterback from 2018 until 2023. In his first spell in Minnesota, he completed 67.9 per cent of his passes for 23,265 passing yards and 171 touchdowns to just 55 interceptions. He then left as a free agent in 2024 for the Atlanta Falcons , before switching to the Raiders last year. Vikings revert back to familiarity with Cousins return For the Vikings, the trade is a small price to pay to salvage their season. Sitting at 6-2 on the year but with an injured Kyler Murray , a veteran back-up in Carson Wentz who is coming off a historically poor performance, as well as inexperienced third-string Max Brosmer, SKOL nation knew they were at risk of their season going terribly wrong. Their defense alone has shown that they are capable of winning a Super Bowl , ranking second in the league in total yards allowed per game with 280.0. They also rank first in the league in points allowed with 14.5 per game. However, it has been a completely different story on the other side of the ball. The offense has been virtually a non-starter , ranking 31st in the NFL in total passing yards on the season and passing yards per game with 1,286 yards total bringing their average to 160.8 per game. Only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have put up fewer – recording 1,277 total passing yards for an average of 141.9 yards per game. The difference is their defense hasn’t been able to be as much of a contributory factor to help them win games, made clear by their 3-6 record. Cousins’ trade not only brings some stability at the quarterback position, but also keeps superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson content amid recent frustrations . Jefferson enjoyed his finest season in 2022 while playing with Cousins, setting career bests with 128 catches and 1,809 yards, which both led the NFL. The receiver is sure to welcome Cousins back, who, in nine outings for the Raiders this season, completed 64.1 per cent of his passes for 2,340 yards and 20 touchdowns to just eight interceptions. Only Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals has found his receivers in the end zone on more occasions (23 touchdowns). Head coach Kevin O’Connell and the Vikings get a proven veteran under center in Cousins – who has earned over $333m in his 15-year career, and will now hope this move keeps them competitive in the NFC in their pursuit of Super Bowl LXI. From the Raiders’ perspective, though, they only had to pay the 38-year-old a total of $650,000 for nine games and over six months serving as a mentor to No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick Fernando Mendoza . They also got draft capital, showing that the trade could be a win-win for both parties. Now, the former Indiana Hoosiers star’s era in the Sin City will get underway with all that knowledge and learnings from one of the league’s most consistent quarterbacks. Sign up for talkSPORT Stateside , the YouTube channel dedicated to passionate US Sports fans.Will Gavin, Brian T. Smith, former NFL star Efe Obada and a collection of special guests debate the biggest talking points across the NFL, soccer, NBA and more.