Raiders expected to go after Kirk Cousins after Falcons release

The Raiders are expected to make a play at quarterback Kirk Cousins now that he is officially a free agent. 

Cousins was released by the Falcons — a move expected long before it was official on Wednesday — and the Raiders are looking at him as a veteran who could help develop presumptive No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza, The Athletic reported. 

But whether the Raiders want to rush Mendoza into the starting spot isn’t set in stone. 

Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) throws a pass during the third quarter of the Jets and Atlanta Falcons game in East Rutherford, NJ. Bill Kostroun/New York Post

“I think you want to limit the amount of pressure you have on that guy from the start,” Raiders general manager John Spytek said at the NFL combine in February. “If you have a young quarterback, I’m not necessarily in favor of running him out there right away. So, [it’s important to have] another quality player that can play the quarterback position, if you have a young quarterback.”

Cousins would fit Spytek’s description, having played 19 seasons in the NFL, with stops in Washington and Minnesota, along with his two years in Atlanta. 

The 37-year-old has 44,700 regular-season passing yards, good for 19th in NFL history. He is also 15th in passing touchdowns with his 298. 

Cousins showed that he still has gas left in the tank last season when he came in for Michael Penix Jr. after the youngster suffered a season-ending knee injury in the middle of the 2025 campaign. 

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) walks off the field after a game against the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Atlanta. AP

Cousins joins several veteran quarterbacks on the open market this offseason, including Kyler Murray, Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers and Joe Flacco. 

He expressed a desire to keep playing when he spoke with reporters late in the season, though he did say, “We’ll see how things play out in March.”