Raiders add Kirk Cousins

The Las Vegas Raiders signed quarterback Kirk Cousins on April 6, giving the team a 15th-year veteran less than three weeks before the 2026 National Football League draft. (raiders.com) Cousins agreed to the deal on April 3, and ESPN reported it includes $20 million guaranteed for 2026. National Football League Network reported Las Vegas will pay $1.3 million of that salary, with the Atlanta Falcons covering the rest, plus another $10 million guaranteed due in March 2027. (espn.com) (nfl.com) The move gives new Raiders coach Pete Carroll and offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak an experienced option after Kubiak said he wanted another veteran quarterback in the room. National Football League Media described Cousins as a bridge quarterback, a stopgap starter who can hold the job while a younger passer develops. (espn.com) (nfl.com) That timing matters because Las Vegas still sits in draft season, when teams weigh whether to start a rookie immediately or let him learn behind a veteran. Cousins arrives after two seasons with Atlanta and four Pro Bowl selections on his résumé, which gives the Raiders a proven starter if they do draft a quarterback next week. (raiders.com 1) (raiders.com 2) Cousins said after signing that Las Vegas looked like “a great opportunity to finish strong,” and the Raiders’ official site published his introductory press conference on April 7. The club has not announced him as the long-term answer, only as its newest veteran addition. (nfl.com) (raiders.com) The other name tied to this week’s chatter was Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua, whose attorney said he had checked into rehab before a civil lawsuit became public. ESPN reported the suit alleges Nacua made an antisemitic statement on New Year’s Eve and bit a woman on the shoulder in Los Angeles. (espn.com) National Football League Network reported Nacua voluntarily entered a recovery center and cited his attorney saying he was focusing on his health, personal growth, and offseason preparation. The Rams’ official roster page lists Nacua as a 24-year-old receiver entering his fourth season after a 2025 campaign with 129 catches, 1,715 receiving yards, and 10 touchdowns. (nfl.com) (therams.com) Taken together, the two stories landed in the same April window when teams are still building depth charts and setting up summer evaluations. The Raiders have made Cousins official; Nacua’s situation remains a personal and legal matter described publicly through his attorney and national reports. (raiders.com) (espn.com)