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Kirk Cousins agrees to free agent contract with Las Vegas Raiders

Grant Grubbs Profile Pictureby: Grant Grubbs04/02/26grant_grubbs_

Quarterback Kirk Cousins has agreed to a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders, his agent Mike McCartney announced Thursday. Cousins was a free agent this offseason after spending the past two seasons with the Atlanta Falcons.

Cousins began last season as Michael Penix Jr.‘s backup, but stepped into a starting role after Penix suffered a season-ending injury. In 10 appearances and eight starts, Cousins completed 61.7% of his pass attempts for 1,721 yards and 10 touchdowns, compared to five interceptions.

Cousins led the Falcons to a 5-3 record in his eight starts last season. At 37 years old, Cousins is entering the final stretch of his career. He is a four-time Pro Bowl selection and was the NFL’s completion percentage leader in 2015.

While Cousins boasts loads of experience, he won’t immediately be considered the Raiders’ starting quarterback next season. The Raiders are widely expected to select former Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Mendoza was spectacular for Indiana last season, completing 72.0% of his pass attempts for 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns, while only throwing six interceptions. For his efforts, he was named the Heisman Trophy winner.

Mendoza only stepped up his game in the postseason. In Indiana’s three College Football Playoff games, Mendoza recorded eight passing touchdowns without throwing an interception. Moreover, he posted a 74.6% completion percentage.

Cousins could serve as a mentor to Mendoza as the rookie finds his footing in the league. Alas, not everybody is sold on the idea. On Wednesday, ESPN analyst Booger McFarland explained why he believes the Raiders aren’t a great fit for Cousins.

“Kirk is a tremendous guy, and I think there’s no doubt in my mind that someday he’s going to be in that role,” McFarland said on NFL Live. “But right now, Kirk Cousins wants to play. So maybe, to your point, somebody has no intention of, when you get tapped on the shoulder, it’s time for you to come out. They’ll gladly step aside, put the ball cap on and say, ‘Let’s go, Fernando.’“

The Raiders are entering a new era after hiring head coach Klint Kubiak this offseason. Kubiak was the Seattle Seahawks’ offensive coordinator last season and was instrumental in the team winning its first Super Bowl since 2013. Now, he hopes to bring similar success to Las Vegas.