Welcome Back Kirko!

After a horrible performance by Carson Wentz capping off a half-season of poor performing quarterback play, the Minnesota Vikings are bringing back Kirk Cousins to lead the offense for the rest of the season. In exchange, the Vikings are sending their third-round pick (not the one from the Eagles) in the 2027 draft to Las Vegas. Cousins will have minimal impact on the Vikings’ 2026 salary cap ($650K) but is due a roster bonus of $10 million next year.

The Vikings and then GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah balked at Cousins’ demands for a contract extension back in 2024, as they were planning to draft a quarterback high that year- and did in J.J. McCarthy- and opted for Sam Darnold as a bridge option.