Kirk Cousins has found a new home. It was reported on Thursday that the 37-year-old quarterback has signed with the Las Vegas Raiders, meaning that, for the first time in his career, he'll be a member of the AFC West.
Cousins was released by the Falcons this offseason and many figured he'd find a new home with a team that has a young quarterback that he could help mentor. That home is apparently Las Vegas, where he will potentially start the year as the starter while helping mentor probable first overall pick Fernando Mendoza.
Raiders first-year head coach Klint Kubiak said recently that he didn't necessarily want a rookie quarterback starting for him early in the season so the signing of Cousins makes sense. Cousins is an experienced veteran who has a lot of insights to offer a young signal-caller so this was a pretty solid move by the Raiders.
Raiders finally look competent after Kirk Cousins move
So, what does this mean for the Kansas City Chiefs? Well, depending on when they match up against the Raiders, they might be facing Cousins instead of Mendoza. Considering the weapons the Raiders have on offense, Cousins should be able to lead that offense but we'll have to see how their offensive line holds up, as that was Vegas' biggest weakness in 2025.
Cousins was a fourth-round pick by Washington in the 2012 draft and spent the first six years of his career in D.C. He then signed with the Vikings in 2018 and went on to play in Minnesota for the next six years. He signed with the Falcons in 2024 and that didn't go according to plan for Atlanta, so Cousins was a free agent this offseason and now is heading to Sin City.
The Raiders had a lot of money to spend this offseason and they're doing a nice job with all of that dough. Cousins isn't the long-term answer in Las Vegas but the Raiders are bringing him in to help mentor the guy they hope is. It's not fun to see the Raiders potentially being a competent franchise but this is another solid move for them in the 2026 offseason. Let's hope it doesn't pay off.