Quay Walker was connected Lambeau Field erstwhile Kirk Cousins crumpled connected its earthy writer connected Oct. 29, 2023, rupturing his close Achilles tendon. Almost 3 years aboriginal arsenic rivals-turned-teammates with the Las Vegas Raiders arsenic standout free-agent signees, they’ve talked astir that fateful day.
“I conscionable deliberation its afloat circle,” Walker said Wednesday morning, formerly a Green Bay Packers linebacker, of reuniting successful Las Vegas with the erstwhile Minnesota Vikings quarterback. “That’s the benignant of wounded that tin situation you mentally. So it’s not casual to travel backmost from. But he’s done each the close things to beryllium backmost to who helium is.”
Walker would know.
Cousins capped mandatory minicamp arsenic the likely-soon-to-be starting quaterback for the Raiders, with whom helium signed a declaration that guarantees him $20 cardinal successful 2026. He handled the bulk of the first-team reps, prevention for those astatine the extremity of Wednesday’s signifier erstwhile helium watched from the Intermountain Performance Health Center sideline arsenic Fernando Mendoza and Aidan O’Connell ended the offseason programme down center.
Turning 38 successful August, Cousins said helium feels healthier and looks the portion to those who cognize him, erstwhile state oregon hostile alike. As Raiders wideout and erstwhile Vikings teammate Jalen Nailor added Wednesday morning: “Kirk is the aforesaid feline helium was 4 years ago. He inactive has those dada jokes that helium loves to bring and conscionable the vigor that helium brings to the squad erstwhile guys are making plays, he’s the archetypal 1 celebrating and being blessed for america to spell retired determination and marque plays.”
Age, attrition and the aftermath of the torn Achilles affected Cousins the past 2 years with the Atlanta Falcons, for whom helium started 22 games. Among the NFL’s astir productive passers passim his tenure with the Vikings, his completion percent dipped with the Falcons (67.9% with Minnesota, 65% with Atlanta) on with his touchdown walk percent (5.6% to 3.9%).
Meanwhile, his interception complaint accrued (1.8% to 2.9%) amid a dearth successful mobility.
“I did not determination good that night,” Cousins joked Tuesday aft signifier erstwhile a newsman mentioned a 2024 matchup with the Raiders, a 15-9 triumph for Cousins, accented with 112 passing yards astatine Allegiant Stadium.
As for however helium feels truthful acold this year, the 15th-year quaterback explained, “I decidedly deliberation each day, week, month, there’s been advancement since I archetypal tore my Achilles, and it’s been a progression. And I conscionable support learning more, support getting better. And so, successful that consciousness I bash consciousness healthier present than I did past and I’m optimistic that that’ll assistance maine connected the field. But we’ll spot wherever it goes.”
Signed arsenic a stopgap — and an accomplished 1 astatine that, ranking 5th among progressive quarterbacks successful touchdown passes (298) and sixth successful yards (44,700) with 4 Pro Bowl nods to his sanction — to precede what the Raiders privation to beryllium a agelong tenure with Mendoza, Cousins made wide he’s not conscionable a mentor to the No. 1 wide draught prime oregon O’Connell. He called that conception a “narrative much than it is simply a truth” and insisted they’ve plentifulness to thatch him, too.
Never caput that he’s the elder statesman 15 years Mendoza’s elder and 10 years O’Connell’s.
“They’re beauteous bully players and beauteous experienced, and I’m learning a batch from them excessively and asking questions of them,” Cousins said. “It’s ever been a moving unit unneurotic successful the backmost room, and that’s what it is. Nobody’s starring much than idiosyncratic else. I deliberation we’re each conscionable benignant of a moving unit together, helping each other, giving feedback, giving perspective, giving different acceptable of eyes, and I’ve ever felt I hole my champion during the play erstwhile we tin each benignant of beryllium unneurotic successful that country successful the evening, going implicit things unneurotic alternatively than moving successful our ain silos.”
Cousins tin worth collaboration and his spot atop the pecking order, knowing different NFL declaration is contingent upon however good helium plays. He came to Las Vegas for a accidental to start, his wellness and affirmative cognition intact for each to gully from arsenic agelong arsenic he’s here.
He’s gladsome he’s with the Raiders, and truthful are they.
“I came present due to the fact that I felt bully astir it astatine the time,” Cousins said. “Two months in, I inactive consciousness bully astir it, but the autumn is what benignant of creates whether it was the close determination oregon not. So, it’s each up up for us, but I’ve enjoyed moving with the guys, I’ve enjoyed getting retired determination each time and putting the enactment in, and we’ll spot wherever it leads, 1 time astatine a time.”
Contact Sam Gordon astatine sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon connected X.
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