Maxx Crosby Gets Real About Raiders Signing Kirk Cousins, Hints at Fernando Mendoza Pick

Maxx Crosby's meeting with Kirk Cousins has the All Pro pass rusher excited for the new campaign.

Maxx Crosby Gets Real About Raiders Signing Kirk Cousins, Hints at Fernando Mendoza Pick

Maxx Crosby and Kirk Cousins (Image via IMAGO)

In Short
  • Kirk Cousins signed a five-year contract worth up to $172 million with the Las Vegas Raiders.
  • Maxx Crosby expressed excitement about Cousins joining the team after a positive meeting.
  • Cousins aims to compete for the starting quarterback position, emphasizing he wants to be the best option.

The Las Vegas Raiders are dreaming again with the inspiring signing of Kirk Cousins. All bets are on the veteran to start in week one, even though Cousins wants only the best to get the job as he awaits the likely arrival of Fernando Mendzoa through the draft.

In the meantime, Cousins checked in with the Raiders’ All-Pro pass rusher Maxx Crosby. The 28-year-old is back with the Raiders after a proposed trade to the Baltimore Ravens collapsed earlier this year.

Until now, Crosby and Cousins starred on opposing teams, but if all goes according to plan, they will line up side by side in 2026. RaiderNation must wait a little longer for that historic moment, as it’s only April. The good news is that Crosby met with Cousins recently, and the meeting has him excited for the season to begin.

Ran into Kirko [the nickname of Kirk Cousins] Bangs. It was dope, we had a great conversation, he was awesome, definitely fired me up. Dude has done a lot of great things in this league, adding him to the squad is gonna help a lot, we got more pieces coming as well.

Maxx Crosby said on The Rush Podcast

In the summer of 2024, Cousins signed with the Atlanta Falcons with the ambition of one day retiring wearing the birds’ crest. Yet from the moment the Falcons drafted Michael Penix Jr., it became clear that the front office and Cousins did not share the same goal.

Cousins won the QB battle, but as soon as the Falcons sniffed a dip in his form, they replaced him with Penix. Penix retained the starter’s job even though the Falcons missed the playoffs. However, Penix’s beginner’s luck ran out, and the Falcons turned to Cousins for help. Despite registering a 5-3 record to finish the season (including four straight wins), the Falcons failed to qualify once again.

The Raiders, in the meantime, finished bottom of the AFC West and clinched the number one overall pick in the 2026 draft. Pete Carroll was fired, and Geno Smith was traded, leaving the door open for new arrivals. The Raiders appointed Super Bowl champion Klint Kubiak as head coach and, a few weeks later, signed Cousins.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Cousins signed a five-year contract worth up to $172 million to play in Vegas. The length of the contract raised a lot of questions until Schefter revealed that Atlanta is paying $8.7 million of that money, leaving the Raiders to cover Cousins’ veteran minimum salary of $1.3 million in addition to a $10 million signing bonus.

Kirk Cousins makes a surprising admission about the Raiders quarterback job

Cousins and Kubiak worked together for three seasons as part of the Minnesota Vikings. In those years, Cousins threw 30+ touchdowns twice and averaged a passer rating of 104.0 (107.4 in 2019 still remains his best).

Maxx Crosby Gets Real About Raiders Signing Kirk Cousins, Hints at Fernando Mendoza Pick
Kirk Cousins (Image via IMAGO)

After leaving Minnesota, Kubiak coached at the 49ers, Broncos, Saints, and, more recently, with the Seahawks. Kubiak’s playbook helped Sam Darnold realize his dream of winning a Super Bowl before the Raiders poached the 39-year-old offensive maestro away.

Cousins’ familiarity with Kubiak’s schemes is a big bonus for the Raiders, making him the prime candidate to start from week one. However, Cousins is not a believer in favoritism. He wants to fight for his place on the starting roster with Aidan O’Connell and most likely Mendoza or whoever the Raiders bring in.

I don’t want to start unless I’m the best option. I have no problem being a voice in the room to help him [Kubiak]. We were watching a film together yesterday, and I told him I’d like to learn how to throw a good back shoulder.

Cousins said on Good Morning Football

It is shaping up to be an interesting battle in Sin City. All eyes will be on day one of the draft.

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