Kirk

Cousins

McFadden reports that Cousins took the majority of the first team reps in Raiders practice on Wednesday. Meanwhile, No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza “played mostly with the rookies and the third team.” Head coach Klint Kubiak does not yet have a timeline to name a starter, but McFadden notes that Kubiak, general manager John Spytek, and minority owner Tom Brady are believers in letting a young quarterback sit behind a veteran initially. Cousins signed with the Raiders before the draft after parting ways with the Falcons in the offseason. The 37-year-old has started games with every team he has played with and this will likely continue to be the case. Mendoza is slated to sit to start the 2026 season, though we wouldn’t rule out the Indiana product starting by the time the Raiders’ Week 13 bye week rolls around.

“He’s a good decision-maker, but I don’t think he’s got the NFL traits,” the coach told ESPN anonymously. “They’re all back-shoulder [throws]. That’s not working in the NFL. His receivers made plays to make him look better than he is. In the NFL, those throws are getting picked off.” Conversely, a Big Ten coach told ESPN Mendoza is “one of the more complete quarterback prospects he has seen.” Mendoza, the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft after leading the Indian Hoosiers to their first-ever college football title, is widely expected to start the season on the bench behind Kirk Cousins. How long Mendoza waits for the starting gig likely depends on Cousins’ performance in Klint Kubiak’s offense.

According to ESPN’s Ryan McFadden, Mendoza took just five snaps under center over the course of his three-year college career. He took 2,073 snaps in shotgun formation. Mendonz said he is focused on footwork, particularly the first two steps, “securing the snap and getting out of there,” right now. He’s also been conducting walk-throughs at the team hotel with his fellow rookies over the past two nights, taking 25-50 snaps under center with each offensive lineman. Raiders veteran QB Kirk Cousins spent three seasons with head coach Klint Kubiak, as members of the Vikings, so Cousins, 37, will have an obvious edge in organized team activities later this month. That said, given Mendoza’s smarts and work ethic, we expect him to make playing style adjustments very quickly. No. 1 overall picks don’t stay in the backup role for long.

Per Rapoport, the Raiders want Cousins to mentor impending No. 1 overall pick, Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza, all season as the starter, before turning the offense over to Mendoza in 2027. That said, Rapoport rhetorically asked viewers how long Cousins’ starting stint might last this year before saying, “we simply don’t know.” Mendoza could absolutely end up under center this season.

It’s no secret the Raiders are more than likely going to select Indiana’ Fernando Mendoza No. 1 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft. However, the question has been lingering on whether the Raiders will start Mendoza out of the gate or let him sit for a bit first. Las Vegas signed Kirk Cousins as a veteran presence in the locker room and still have Aidan O’Connell as quarterback depth. Spytek implied that a competition between Cousins, O’Connell, and Mendoza could shake out the Week 1 starter. Mendoza would be the franchise quarterback, but there is a good chance Cousins (or even O’Connell) start in the interim while the rookie gets better prepared for the long-term.

The Raiders’ presumed No. 1 overall pick, Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza, could end up challenging Cousins for the starting role this summer. For now, it appears as though Cousins is penciled in to break the huddle in Week 1. Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak prefaced today’s signing by publicly explaining the value in allowing a young quarterback to develop on the bench. If the Raiders add more offensive weapons via the 2026 NFL Draft, free agency and trades, Cousins could warrant matchup-based consideration as a fantasy starter.

Thanks to a prior report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, we knew this visit would take place sometime next week. Now, we know the day. The Raiders are widely expected to draft Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick later this month. Mendoza led the Hoosiers to a CFP National Championship victory in his final season, while also leading college football with 41 passing touchdowns. Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak believes sitting a young quarterback behind a veteran quarterback, to “watch how they run the show,” is helpful for the young player’s development, and the Raiders signed veteran QB Kirk Cousins earlier today. Next Tuesday’s visit could give Mendoza and Cousins a chance to begin developing rapport. Unless something goes awry, they will be coworkers before long.

For the 11th consecutive season, Cousins will play on a fully guaranteed contract. While his contract is technically for five years, $172 million, in reality he’s set to receive $20 million for one year with the Raiders. The Falcons are paying Cousins $8.7 million this season, the Raiders another $1.3 million and the Raiders have guaranteed Cousins a $10 million roster bonus on the third day of the 2027 new league year. One of the greatest bag-getters in league history, Cousins, who turns 38 in August, has another guaranteed contract in hand and is set up to hit free agency again next offseason.

Cousins’ agent Mike McCartney broke the news on X, formerly known as Twitter. The 37-year-old signal caller is a natural fit with the rebuilding Raiders, who hold the top pick in the upcoming draft with their sights set on Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza. Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak told the media this week that he thinks it would be beneficial for a young quarterback to sit behind a veteran starter and watch how they run the show. Now the Raiders have a veteran option on the roster in Cousins, which introduces the possibility of Mendoza sitting to begin his pro career.

The Raiders apparently did have Joe Flacco in mind for this role at some point, per Fowler, so perhaps it’s not quite as one-track-focused on Cousins it has appeared. Other veteran non-Cousins names still on the market include Russell Wilson, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Tyrod Taylor.