Vikings GM Nolan Teasley says trade for Kirk Cousins aligns with team’s long-term plan

The Minnesota Vikings announced the acquisition of quarterback Kirk Cousins on Tuesday and began integrating him into the offense on Wednesday. General manager Nolan Teasley, speaking at a press conference, said the team did not acquire Cousins "to not play" and highlighted the quarterback’s familiarity with the organization, his "live arm," touch, placement and accuracy.

Teasley rejected the notion that the trade was a reaction to the Week 9 loss to the Buffalo Bills, stating, "We’ve been looking for ways to improve this football team, again, for weeks. And we just followed the process. It was a wide net that we were casting. And ultimately this is what we landed on, and this was the right move for this point in time."

He added that the roster has "earned the right to explore the potential to maximize where we can take this thing" and indicated the focus is on the 2026 season, noting, "There’s always potential for that, but this is really about 2026. And that’s where we’re focused. . . . When that time comes we’ll address it."

Teasley also affirmed confidence in the offense, saying, "We still believe in the potential of the offense. There’s a lot of really talented players over there. So this is about doing what’s best for the Vikings in totality." He declined to speculate on how Cousins might affect the team’s ceiling, concluding, "This is a really good football team. We’re 6-2 through eight games, and we just acquired a really good football player."