Could stay in Minnesota beyond 2026

The Vikings have already gauged Cousins' interest in returning to the team in 2027 since acquiring him Tuesday in a trade with the Raiders, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Cousins -- who will start Sunday's game in Green Bay as he dons a Minnesota uniform for the first time since 2023 -- is set to become a free agent in the spring, but if all goes well over the next several weeks, the Vikings are hoping that the 38-year-old quarterback can be more than just a half-season rental. At the very least, the Vikings are counting on Cousins to provide a short-term upgrade under center from the likes of Kyler Murray (hamstring) and Carson Wentz, both of whom struggled to move the chains while Minnesota raced to a 6-2 start thanks in large part to its blitz-happy, aggressive defense. During his time in Las Vegas, Cousins tossed 20 touchdown passes (second in NFL) and compiled 2,340 passing yards (fifth in NFL), despite playing alongside one of the league's weaker wide-receiver groups.