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Kirk Cousins looks old but Raiders can’t risk destroying Fernando Mendoza’s career before it’s begun
Kirk Cousins is QB1 in Las Vegas – and it should stay that way for the entire 2026 season.
Klint Kubiak is Tom Brady‘s second hand-picked choice as the offensive guru to lead the Raiders out of the darkness, fresh off a Super Bowl win with Seattle
Armed with the first overall pick in the NFL Draft the Las Vegas Raiders selected Heisman Trophy and NCAA championship-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza to work with him.
As with life, the search for gratification in sport is instant and the popular feeling was Mendoza would start and Cousins would be the veteran able to step in when needed and mentor a young charge.
As good a pro as Cousins appears to be, he is also a competitor and one less than impressed when Atlanta selected Michael Penix Jr. just weeks after he inked a $100million deal in free agency.
When training camp got underway this week, Kubiak confirmed that it is Kirk O’Chains who starts preseason as the first choice.
Klint Kubiak makes his QB1 call
“For every position, there’s gotta be competition, right? The best player has to play, and that’s not just what I’m gonna see,
“When we go out to practice tomorrow, Kirk Cousins is the starting quarterback.
“He’s the guy, and he’s going to get a ton of reps. He deserves them because he’s played really good football. But I want Fernando (Mendoza) and I want Aidan (O’Connell) to push him.”
Almost immediately images of a sluggish looking Cousins emerged.
Hours into the first sessions of official training camp, fans were outraged and analyst’s hot takes were plenty.
Calls for Mendoza to start had already been common and will grow through preseason and into the season proper if Cousins keeps the job – not least because Mendoza may well shine.
One would hope he does.
Having dazzled in leading the Indiana Hoosiers to their first ever Natty, he has the skills, talent and leadership that should make him the Raiders man for the next 10 years or more.
That’s what they need, not a one-season wonder and in this writers view, the Raiders, Kubiak and Brady need to be brave, and keep Mendoza in a red shirt for the duration of the season.
No guarantee of success
Jayden Daniels and CJ Stroud showed what’s possible by roaring out of the starting gate – but a second season injury followed for Daniels after leading Washington to the NFC title game.
Caleb Williams took a huge second season leap with the Chicago Bears after wild inconsistency in season one.
CJ Stroud has fallen off alarmingly over the last two seasons after going second overall to Houston and Anthony Richardson looks almost certain to move on from Indianapolis having been a wild card pick at four in 2023
There’s no exact science, but the Las Vegas brain trust does not have too far to look when needed to back-up their decisions.
Brady, famously selected with the 199th overall pick, was sat behind Drew Bledsoe before injury opened the door that he stormed through to win six Super Bowls across a storied career.
The Raiders AFC West rivals, Kansas City have the face of the league in Patrick Mahomes – but the 10th overall selection in 2017 didn’t play a snap until Week 17 of his first season.
A dynastic decade later, Mahomes is a three-time Super Bowl champion, three-time Super Bowl MVP and two time league MVP coming off his first losing season as the starter.
Mahomes sat behind Alex Smith – a quarterback with a lot of similarities to Cousins, and one who was able to steer the ship admirably while his young charge got up to speed, and the team built themselves into a contender.
Despite Maxx Crosby remaining in Las Vegas, this team is not ready to just drop in a quarterback and compete, there is serious work to be done.
Everyone has talked a good game so far. The ‘bromace’ between Mendoza and Cousins – two quirky characters – has been embraced by the Raiders content team.
As training camp began, and Kubiak’s comments were noted, the players toed the line.
Cousins is happy to compete, but equally happy to work alongside the first overall selection.
“We’re all supporting one another and working together,” he told reporters.
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“That’s just the journey we’ve always been on, and it’s pretty much the norm. Have fun competing because competition is fun. Have fun doing that together and I think that’s what it will always be.”
Mendoza just wants to soak everything up, despite firing darts through training camp.
Brady and Kubiak insist they won’t take any risks – but will they hold their nerve?
It may well be the case that Mendoza starts. He could flash too much in preseason and the Raiders can’t hold him back and give in to temptation
It might be that Cousins struggles with the Kubiak offense and age and injury have really caught up with the 38-year-old and Mendoza has to play.
But for real success, the best hope might be to soak it all up and learn; for the Raiders to get another pick in the top 10 and in 2027 the team – and their future face of the franchise – have lift off.
Do Brady, Mendoza and Co. have the patience?
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