The Vikings’ quarterback pursuit came together fast, but the groundwork was already there.
According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, Minnesota checked with the Raiders on Kirk Cousins last week, though it didn’t really feel like he might be available until Sunday. From there, the deal moved quickly, with the trade essentially taking shape on Tuesday after Minnesota’s Monday night debacle.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported that the Vikings believed Carson Wentz had put together an exceptional week of practice leading into the Bills game and expected him to play well. Even so, the team had already done its homework on quarterbacks in case it needed to pivot after Kyler Murray’s hamstring injury. Cousins had been identified as Minnesota’s top target if a move became necessary, and the Vikings reached out to the Raiders on Monday.
Raiders general manager John Spytek made it clear to Vikings GM Nolan Teasley that he wasn’t looking to deal his starting quarterback unless Minnesota came strong. “You’ll have to make us an offer that moves us.”
After the game, Minnesota opened with a conditional fifth-round pick that could turn into a third, Breer said. The Raiders wanted a straight third-rounder, but they were willing to take Minnesota’s pick instead of Philadelphia’s, and they also agreed to absorb Cousins’ $10 million roster bonus that was set to come due next year.
Elsewhere, the Commanders drew multiple trade calls for cornerback Mike Sainristil, but ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said they weren’t interested in moving him unless the return was a quality pick.
Fowler also reported that the Cowboys didn’t receive any trade calls for wide receiver George Pickens. Pickens, he added, is happy in Dallas and wasn’t looking to be moved.
In Other News...
Commanders Defense Faces Heat After Chaissons Blunt Take On Rams Loss
The Commanders defense had a long week to sit with what went wrong in the 20-13 loss to the Rams, and KLavon Chaisson did not try to soften the edge of it. Los Angeles leaned heavily on Puka Nacua, who finished with 14 catches for 150 yards and a touchdown, and the repeated success of that approach became the central problem Washington could not solve.
Chaisson pointed to the lack of adjustment as the issue, underscoring how the defense let a predictable plan keep working anyway. For a unit that needed to be sharper in a tight game, the frustration was less about surprise and more about failing to respond once the pattern was obvious. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Face A Brutal Thursday Reality In NFC East Race
A short week has turned into a meaningful one for the Commanders, who head into Thursday nights matchup with the Giants knowing the NFC East picture already has some early separation. New York sits atop the division, and Washington needs a win just to keep pace in a race that can tighten or slip away quickly when these head-to-head games start stacking up.
The matchup has also taken on a different edge with the betting market moving toward the Giants, a sign of how much confidence there is in New York entering the prime-time spot. For Washington, the assignment is straightforward but unforgiving: handle a division rival on a short week, or watch the standings get a little harder to chase. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Defense Has A Chance To Prove This Progress Is Real
The Commanders defense has started to look more like the unit Dan Quinn envisioned, and the recent uptick has given the coaching staff reason to believe the turnaround is more than a short-lived spike. Quinn has pointed to defensive coordinator Daronte Jones as part of the improvement, with Washington cleaning up some of the issues that were costing it earlier in the season and giving up fewer points in the process.
Thursday night brings a familiar test, with the Giants back on the schedule and another chance for Washington to show the progress can hold up under pressure. For a defense that needed to steady itself, the challenge now is not just playing better for a week, but proving the gains can survive a quick turnaround and another divisional matchup. [Read more 🡒]