The Minnesota Vikings reacquired quarterback Kirk Cousins from the Las Vegas Raiders on Tuesday for a 2027 third-round pick, with Las Vegas turning to No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza.

The trade came ahead of the 4 p.m. ET deadline and one day after Minnesota lost 23-6 to the Buffalo Bills. The Vikings are 6-2 after dropping two consecutive games following a 6-0 start.

Carson Wentz started against Buffalo in place of Kyler Murray, who was out with a Grade 2 hamstring strain, and completed 8 of 25 passes. His 2.3 QBR was the lowest for a Vikings quarterback since 2006, ESPN reported. Minnesota's offense managed 19 points over the two defeats.

Tom Pelissero of The Ringer was first to report the agreement, according to USA Today's For The Win. "Cousins returns to Minnesota for the playoff push, while Las Vegas turns to No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza," Pelissero wrote on X.

Blockbuster! The Raiders are trading four-time Pro Bowl QB Kirk Cousins to the Vikings for their 2027 third-round pick, sources tell @ringer @netflixsports.

Cousins returns to Minnesota for the playoff push, while Las Vegas turns to No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) November 10, 2026

Cousins, 38, ranks second in the NFL behind Joe Burrow with 20 touchdown passes this season. He started every game for the Raiders, who went 4-5.

The Vikings have scored 11 offensive touchdowns, tied with the Los Angeles Chargers for the league's fewest, according to CBS Sports, which named wide receiver Justin Jefferson the deal's biggest winner. With Cousins throwing to him in 2022, Jefferson had career highs of 128 catches and 1,809 yards, both NFL-leading totals.

On defense, coordinator Brian Flores' unit gives up a league-low average of 14.5 points per game.

Cousins spent 2018 to 2023 with Minnesota, earning three of his four Pro Bowls before departing for the Atlanta Falcons in 2024 free agency. His previous Vikings game ended with a torn Achilles tendon in the fourth quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in Week 8 of 2023.

His return is scheduled for Sunday at Lambeau. The Vikings have started eight quarterbacks since Cousins departed.

ESPN reported that Minnesota will owe Cousins the balance of his $1.3 million base salary this season and a $10 million spring roster bonus unless his contract changes. It was not immediately known whether the Vikings will restructure it.

Mendoza will take over in Las Vegas at home against Seattle in Week 10, with Aidan O'Connell backing him up. He learned Tuesday that he would start.

The 23-year-old won the Heisman Trophy and guided Indiana to a national championship in 2025 before Las Vegas chose him first overall in April. First-year Raiders coach Klint Kubiak had made clear that a full redshirt year for Mendoza was not his preference.

Mendoza inherits a team allowing an NFL-high 29.8 points per game, with its defense giving up at least 30 in each of the past five games.

Trade grades varied across outlets. CBS Sports gave Minnesota a B- and Las Vegas an A, USA Today gave them an A and B-, Sports Illustrated a B and A-, and For The Win an A+ each.

Cousins could appear in 18 regular-season games without a bye because the Raiders had yet to take theirs and Minnesota's came in Week 6. Since the NFL adopted a 17-game schedule in 2021, no quarterback has appeared in every week of an 18-week season, Yahoo Sports reported.

Following the Green Bay game, Minnesota is scheduled to face the San Francisco 49ers on a Sunday night in Mexico City. The 49ers were Cousins' last opponent with the Raiders.