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Raiders signing Kirk Cousins in NFL free agency. Here's how he fits.
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- Raiders signing Kirk Cousins in NFL free agency. Here's how he fits.
Kirk Cousins is set to play for his fourth different NFL team after agreeing to a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders on April 2.
The deal was announced on social media by Cousins' agent, Mike McCartney .
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Cousins is coming off an ill-fated, two-year stint with the Atlanta Falcons . He originally inked a four-year, $180 million deal to serve as Atlanta's franchise quarterback, but he was benched at the end of his first season after throwing a league-high 16 interceptions across 14 starts.
Cousins opened the 2025 NFL season as the backup to 2024 first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. The veteran eventually drew into the lineup after Penix suffered a season-ending ACL tear and led the Falcons to a 5-3 record across his eight starts.
Overall, Cousins threw for 1,721 yards, 10 touchdowns and five interceptions. However, he completed just 61.7% of his passes and averaged just 6.4 yards per attempt – his lowest marks across both categories since the 2013 NFL season.
Cousins' performance wasn't enough to convince the Falcons to keep him for another season. Atlanta released him at the start of the new league year to give him the opportunity to seek a new NFL home.
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Ultimately, Cousins landed with the Raiders, where he will provide veteran depth as the team seems set to draft Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Cousins could step in as a veteran starter for Klint Kubiak's team, allowing Mendoza the opportunity to adjust and learn about the professional game.
Should Las Vegas pick the Indiana passer with the No. 1 overall pick, it will mark the second time in as many stops that Cousins is set to join a depth chart that also includes a highly drafted rookie quarterback after the Falcons selected Michael Penix Jr. in the 2023 NFL Draft.
He is choosing the Raiders with at least the idea of working with Mendoza – and new Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak. Kubiak was Cousins' QB coach and later offensive coordinator while with the Minnesota Vikings between 2019 and 2021.
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At the very least, Vegas provides the veteran quarterback with an opportunity to potentially start and showcase that there is still something left in the tank.
The Raiders will be hoping Cousins can return to the form he showed before tearing his Achilles during his final season with the Minnesota Vikings . He logged a 101.2 passer rating and a 50-37-1 record across 88 starts in Minnesota.
Raiders QB depth chart
Below is a look at where Cousins projects to fit in on Raiders quarterback depth chart in 2026, before the draft:
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Aidan O'Connell
Kirk Cousins stats
Cousins has appeared in 174 games and made 167 starts since being a fourth-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. Below is a look at his career stats:
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Record: 88-77-2
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Completion %: 66.7
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Passing yards: 44,700
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Passing TDs: 298
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INTs: 131
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Yards per attempt: 7.6
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Passer rating: 96.8
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Carries: 341
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Rushing yards: 965
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Rushing TDs: 20
Kirk Cousins teams
Cousins has now played for four different teams since the Washington Redskins selected him in the 2012 NFL Draft. Below is a brief timeline of Cousins' career to date:
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Washington Redskins (2012-17)
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Minnesota Vikings (2018-23)
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Atlanta Falcons (2024-25)
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Las Vegas Raidres (2026-present)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kirk Cousins signs contract with Raiders in 2026 NFL free agency
