Famous NFL veteran Kirk Cousins’ career is not over yet, as he signed with the Las Vegas Raiders for 2026, and the Green Bay Packers are among the teams reportedly missing out. Considered to be worth only a backup at this point in his career, the former Minnesota Vikings quarterback could play a significant role in Vegas depending on what the team does in the upcoming draft.
3 Strong Teams Missed Out on Kirk Cousins After Raiders Sign QB
Cousins steps into an interesting situation in Vegas, where former head coach Pete Carroll was fired after just one season, and no direction at quarterback remains. Fourth-year backup Aidan O’Connell is the only other shot-caller on the roster, as the team is widely expected to draft Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza later this month.
Cousins, the four-time Pro Bowler, is expected to serve as a mentor to Mendoza, likely starting ahead of the rookie for the first year. While thought to be a shrewd approach to getting the Heisman winner properly ready for the pros, it remains to be seen how the plan pans out in new head coach Klint Kubiak and offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko’s system.
Three major teams, however, missed out on the veteran’s services. “Cousins had interest from several teams, including the Cardinals, Rams, and Packers,” The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported.
Cousins had interest from several teams, including the Cardinals, Rams, and Packers. https://t.co/026uJyQtDd
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) April 2, 2026
The Arizona Cardinals have some talented playmakers on offense. Cousins would’ve been paired with one of the top receiving corps in the NFL, featuring tight end Trey McBride and wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. Additionally, James Conner is set to handle most of the backfield workload.
The LA Rams, for Cousins, are another strange team to pass on, given how close they got to the Super Bowl last season. According to PFSN’s Offense Impact Metric, the Rams had the best offense in the league last year with an impact score of 92.3.
However, Cousins probably didn’t prefer sitting behind clear-cut starter Matthew Stafford, especially since he is also nearing the end of his career, which likely influenced his decision.
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Interestingly, though, he goes way back with Rams head coach Sean McVay, as they spent several years together with the Washington Redskins from 2012 to 2016. While Cousins worked his way up to becoming the starter, McVay climbed the ladder to become OC. Together, they made for a top-10 league offense in 2015.
Finally, the Packers’ failure to acquire a quarterback happens despite strong connections. Similar to McVay, Cousins also spent time in Washington with current Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur, who was the quarterback coach at the time. With the Raiders signing the 37-year-old quarterback, the Packers’ search for Malik Willis’s replacement continues.
Nonetheless, choosing the Raiders over prominent playoff contenders says a lot about Cousins’ intent, and it’ll be interesting to see how things turn out in Vegas.
