New NFL Rumors on Vikings' 'Desperation' for Kirk Cousins Trade, Raiders' Decision to Deal QB

The Las Vegas Raiders decided to trade Kirk Cousins after the Minnesota Vikings increased their offer ahead of Tuesday's trade deadline, ESPN's Adam Schefter said Thursday on Get Up.

"What changed is the Vikings' level of desperation, where they went from offering a third-day pick to a third-round pick," Schefter said Thursday.

Schefter added the Raiders' decision also hinged on confidence in 2026 top pick Fernando Mendoza, who wide receiver Tre Tucker said Wednesday has been taking reps with the first-team offense "all year."

"At some point in time, the Raiders know they're going to turn to Fernando Mendoza," Schefter said. "And when you've got a team offering a three, you've got a quarterback who's the No. 1 overall pick in your building, who's taking an increasing number of reps with the starting offense in recent weeks, and the Vikings are after him, and they keep calling— it's time to make the decision to move ahead and to allow Fernando Mendoza to graduate."

The Raiders accepted a 2027 third-round pick Tuesday in exchange for Cousins, setting Mendoza on track to make his first NFL start Sunday against the visiting Seattle Seahawks.

Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reported "no one in Vegas was looking to move Cousins" before Vikings general manager Nolan Teasley called Raiders GM John Spytek on Monday.

That discussion took place just before the Vikings started Carson Wentz in place of an injured Kyler Murray against the Buffalo Bills.

"Spytek told Teasley, flatly, that he wasn't looking to trade his starting quarterback, and that, 'You'll have to make us an offer that moves us,'" Breer reported. "Teasley then told Spytek that the Vikings wanted first to see how the Bills game went first, and they'd be in touch."

Wentz and the Vikings lost 23-6 to the Bills Monday night, and Teasley increased his offer from a conditional third-round pick to a guaranteed third-rounder, according to Breer.

Mendoza will now begin his career as an NFL starter with a tough three-week stretch featuring consecutive road matchups against the Denver Broncos and Cleveland Browns after Sunday's showdown with Seattle.

The rookie will look to lean on experience from what he described Wednesday as his "mental reps on the sidelines" when taking over for Cousins this weekend against the defending Super Bowl champions.