Three NFL Trade Additions Already Making Their New Teams Look Smart

After the week kicked off with a series of trades before the deadline, several players made their debuts with their new teams on Sunday.

The headliner of the trade deadline was the Vikings acquiring Kirk Cousins from the Raiders for a third-round pick. He made an immediate impact by leading Minnesota to an important divisional win over the Packers. Not every new trade addition has made their debut yet, though. The Jaguars, who made a flurry of trades on Monday, decided to give new safety Jessie Bates III and defensive tackle Jordan Davis a bye this week since neither player had one with their past team and the Jaguars have already had theirs. They will debut next week while new Ravens quarterback Jacoby Brissett will make his first start for Baltimore on Monday night in prime time.

For the players that did see the field already, here is how they fared in their first action with their new squads.

Kirk Cousins, QB, Vikings

Cousins made his return to the Vikings in triumphant fashion, leading them to a 30–10 win over the Packers. Cousins was not perfect in the victory, it took the Vikings a few drives to begin clicking offensively and he threw a pick before the half, but he gave Minnesota’s offense the lift it desperately needed. He finished the game 21-of-31 for 207 yards, two touchdowns and an interception while helping the Vikings score their most points since their Week 1, also against Green Bay. The Vikings scored three field goals off turnovers from the defense and special teams, but all three touchdowns came from Minnesota driving down the field. The win was particularly special for Cousins since his last start for the Vikings came when he tore his Achilles at Lambeau Field three years ago. This time, he left the field at Lambeau victorious while the Vikings advanced to 7–2 on the season. They are currently second in the NFC North, with the Lions holding a half-game tiebreaker over them in the division.

A #Vikings quarterback getting a TD pass on 3rd-and-23?!!?

Welcome back, Kirk Cousins. pic.twitter.com/w3ITGVEkPG
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) November 15, 2026

Josh Downs, WR, Chiefs

New Chiefs receiver Josh Downs quickly made a splash in his first game for Kansas City, helping the Chiefs earn a 35–13 win over the Falcons. While he did not play every snap, he did make an impact by catching four passes for 55 yards in the game, including an 18-yard touchdown at the end of the first half. His presence was particularly key for the Chiefs on a day when star running back Kenneth Walker III was out due to injury. The Chiefs previously have struggled to throw the ball this season when Walker is out, but were able to do so in his absence on Sunday in spectacular fashion as quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw five touchdowns. The Chiefs improve to 7–2 on the season, tied with the Broncos atop the AFC West.

Mahomes steps up and drops a dime to Josh Downs for a TD!

KCvsATL on CBS/Paramount+
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/dwTMy1qZYC
— NFL (@NFL) November 15, 2026

Amani Hooker, S, Bills

Safety Amani Hooker also made his presence known in his first game with the Bills, who acquired the veteran and a fifth-round pick by sending a second-rounder to the Titans on Tuesday. While it took a while for the Bills to pull away from the Jets, Hooker played well, nearly picking off a couple of passes while racking up six tackles in the 31–12 win. The victory moves the Bills to 8–1 on the season, and helps them maintain the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

Hooker did enter the medical tent during the game, but did not appear to be seriously injured.

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