It hasn't even been a full day yet, but it feels like the dust has settled more on the Las Vegas Raiders' big trade deadline move, which sent Kirk Cousins back to the Minnesota Vikings for a 2027 third-round pick. This, of course, moved up the timeline for the Fernando Mendoza era to start right away.
And typically, with a move of this magnitude, there are some significant winners and losers. Because of all the places where a veteran quarterback like Cousins has an impact, one would expect there to be some serious drawbacks to trading him. But that's not really the case at all.
Of course, there will be temporary setbacks in Las Vegas as a result of the transition from Cousins to Mendoza, but almost every tentacle of this trade is a positive for the Silver and Black. Let's go through seven obvious winners (there could have been more) and two purely temporary losers.
Winners and losers from Raiders-Vikings Kirk Cousins trade
Losers
Offensive production (for now)
Let's start with the negatives. It stands to reason that, in the short term, the offense may take some real bumps with a rookie quarterback. Of course, I don't think it will be as dramatic a drop-off as some believe, but the operation is almost guaranteed to be less smooth and have some correctable errors.
Such is life with a rookie quarterback. Mendoza is a quick learner and, seemingly, a great player, so he should pick it up quickly. But for a few weeks, there will be more sacks taken and negative plays, and maybe more interceptions. This is a 23-year-old learning on the job against a fleet of great defenses.
Locker room vibes (this week)
Cousins, honestly, seemed beloved at Raiders HQ. Whether it was his influence on the quarterback room or his leadership with the team at large, his work with the social media team or the In-N-Out trips after hours with his teammates, Cousins was a leader and taught this young team how to win.
It will take a second for Mendoza to fully step into that role. Will he eventually? Of course. But others may need to pull their weight a bit more in the leadership department while Mendoza tries to keep his head above water with so many other things that being a starting quarterback requires.
Winners
Fernando Mendoza
The fun part. Mendoza now gets a chance to lead a 4-5 Raiders team to a playoff berth, and he gets to step into an offensive situation that is favorable. With Brock Bowers, Michael Mayer and Ashton Jeanty as outlets, Klint Kubiak dialing up plays and good pass protection, he can thrive early on.
Klint Kubiak
While Kubiak has the utmost reverence for Cousins, Mendoza's physical ability alone is going to open up more of the playbook. Not only will he see receivers that are open deep, which will make Kubiak look better and help the run game, but Kubiak can open up boots, rollouts and more from his arsenal.
Kirk Cousins and the Vikings
This was as mutually beneficial a trade as I've ever seen. The Vikings get their missing piece at QB, and Cousins gets to go to a familiar place with a chance to compete for a title. Cousins is beloved in Minnesota, and he has a chance to leave things better than he did last time. Win-win.
John Spytek
Everything went according to plan for Spytek, and he should come out of this whole ordeal smelling like roses. To land a veteran quarterback for that cheap, and then to have him lead the Raiders to a 4-5 start while mentoring Mendoza, and then he fetches a third-round pick? Masterful work. Take a bow.
Tre Tucker
Obviously, many pass-catchers on the Las Vegas offense stand to benefit from Mendoza coming in, but perhaps none more than Tucker. He has been running open on deep balls all season, and the ball either hasn't gotten there or it was never thrown. Mendoza will uncork it and put it on the money.
Run game
With a quarterback who can consistently and reliably throw the ball deep, opposing defenses are going to have to respect it. This means fewer players stacked in the box against them, which should mean more running lanes for Ashton Jeanty and Mike Washington Jr. Easier jobs for the OL, too.
Raider Nation
I know that the fanbase is fairly split about the trade, or at least about the compensation that Las Vegas got for Cousins. But how exciting is it that the future starts now? Raider Nation has waited for a decade or more for a promising young quarterback, and he has arrived. Let's enjoy it and be patient.
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