HENDERSON, Nev. — Two months later, Kirk Cousins is at peace with his decision to join the Las Vegas Raiders. The veteran quarterback said he’s excited about the people in the building and the vision they have for bringing renewed success to the franchise.“The fall is what kind of creates whether it was the right decision or not,” Cousins, 37, said after the team’s first mandatory minicamp practice. “It’s all up ahead for us. But I’ve enjoyed working with the guys. I’ve enjoyed getting out there each day and putting the work in.”Cousins’ joy has been evident during the Raiders’ offseason practices. He’ll mess around with teammates, running routes and catching passes for his fellow quarterbacks during warmups, and joking with them during breaks.But when it’s time for business, his energy shifts solely to the game. Cousins has been a fierce competitor in the early stages of the football calendar, letting out exclamations after big plays, vocally encouraging and coaching teammates, and challenging the defense during team periods.“I’ve got to be myself and bring personality to practice and compete,” Cousins said. “Sometimes you can’t help yourself in practice. You just start playing football, and we’re in competitive periods, we’re moving the ball and I just start having fun and running my mouth in a good way.”Football hasn’t been this much fun for Cousins over the last few years. A torn right achilles ended a strong 2023 season — and, ultimately, a successful six-season tenure with the Minnesota Vikings. Cousins’ track record earned him a four-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons worth up to $180 million before the 2024 season, but he was caught off-guard when the Falcons selected Michael Penix Jr. with the draft’s eighth pick a few weeks later, and Cousins’ recovery hindered his play. He entered last season as Atlanta’s backup, and the team released him in March; he finished his curtailed stint in Atlanta with a 28-to-21 touchdown-to-interception ratio.Cousins’ play improved when he was called upon to start the final seven games of the season, and he led the Falcons to five wins during the stretch. He said he found his love for the game again during that time, and the new start in Las Vegas brought him joy and the feeling of “a real privilege” in having another opportunity. Getting on the field has grown that joy, as Cousins feels good about his game and how head coach Klint Kubiak and offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko, both of whom coached him in Minnesota, can help him return to a high level of play.“There is a little bit of a comfort level with people that you’ve been around before,” Cousins said. “It’s in a way fun to get the band back together a little bit.”