The Las Vegas Raiders have signed veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins. Here are some thoughts on the signing:
Not a surprise:
This was the expected outcome since Cousins became a free agent last month. He played for new Raiders’ head coach Klint Kubiak and offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko in Minnesota. They all know each other well and it should be a smooth transition. The Raiders are have been benefitting from a lot of perfect timings this offseason and this seems like another one of those instances.
He will likely start Week 1:
Time well tell, of course, but it sure seems that the initial plan will be for Cousins to begin the season as the starter. Both Raiders’ general manager John Spytek and Kubiak has said, ideally, they would like a rookie quarterback (like expected No. 1 draft pick Fernando Mendoza) to sit behind a mature veteran to begin the season. So, unless anything changes, that will likely be the case. Of course, that doesn’t mean, Cousins would be the planned starter for the entire 2026 season. It would just depends on early results and Mendoza’s growth. I could see him taking over fairly early in the season.
Can he still play?
Cousins, who turns 38 in August, started eight games for Atlanta last season and had a 5-3 record. He completed 166 of 269 passes for 1,721 yards with 10 touchdown passes and five interceptions. Cousins has started a total of 30 games in the past three seasons after a full-time starter for eight seasons. Yes, he is getting older, but Cousins still seems competent.
The money:
While it’s complicated, the Raiders are basically paying Cousins $10 million for this season, while Atlanta pays another $10 million. The Raiders have options for future seasons. But, essentially, this is a one-year contract that a very reasonable price.
Few other choices:
If not Cousins, the Raiders’ didn’t have a lot of good options for a veteran. They were reportedly interested in Joe Flacco before he went back to Cincinnati last week. In the end, Cousins seems like the best fit for Las Vegas.
Good mentor:
In addition to his ability to play right away, Cousins seems like a good personality fit for Mendoza. All young quarterbacks need good mentors and that should be the case here.
Cousins had other options:
Cousins wasn’t without choices. Rams coach Sean McVay publicly recruited him, the Packers reportedly liked him as a backup and perhaps Pittsburgh loomed as a possible fit if Aaron Rodgers doesn’t come back. In the end, Cousins liked the overall fit with his former coaches in Las Vegas.
What about AOC?
Is there room for Aidan O’Connell in Las Vegas? He will either be the No. 3 quarterback or the Raiders could try to trade him for a late-round pick or waive him. O’Connell, entering the final year of his contract, may not be a great fit for Kubiak’s offense. Perhaps the Raiders will add another young quarterback to be on the roster behind Mendoza and Cousins.
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