The Raiders are still moving forward with the plan to open the season with Kirk Cousins as the starter and let No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza learn behind him, according to Jason La Canfora.
That approach has support throughout the organization, and it starts with minority owner Tom Brady, who believes Mendoza can gain a lot by watching and absorbing the pro game first, per a person close to him.
“They love Kirk and what he brings to the mix,” that same person told La Canfora.
Cousins’ connection to Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak matters here, along with his familiarity with the system. The Raiders see him as someone who can stabilize the offense, help mentor Mendoza, and still handle the job without needing every practice rep. That setup would free up more developmental work for Mendoza during the week.
There’s also a practical layer to it. La Canfora reports the Raiders want their offensive line in better shape before throwing Mendoza into the fire, and there are several starting jobs up for grabs that won’t be settled until camp.
The offensive structure is another factor. The Raiders expect to lean heavily on under-center snaps rather than shotgun, which fits Cousins and gives the rookie another adjustment to master after coming from a shotgun-heavy system at Indiana.
That said, history usually pulls first-round quarterbacks onto the field sooner than teams plan. No. 1 picks tend to get the call right away. Still, the Raiders have made it clear they want to give Cousins real playing time, and in the best-case scenario for their long-term plan, Mendoza could spend much of his rookie year on the sideline.
Cousins is 37 and has been around the league long enough to know the drill. A fourth-round pick by Washington in 2012, he finished out his rookie deal before being franchised in consecutive seasons.
He then left for a three-year, $84 million deal with the Vikings, later signed a two-year, $66 million extension, and followed that with a one-year, $35 million fully guaranteed extension in 2021. After reaching free agency again, he signed a four-year, $180 million contract with $100 million guaranteed in 2024.
The Falcons released him this offseason, and he joined the Raiders on a deal that pays him $20 million in 2026.
Last season, Cousins played in 10 games for Atlanta and started eight. He completed 61.7 percent of his passes for 1,721 yards, with 10 touchdowns and 5 interceptions.
Mendoza, meanwhile, is 22 and came up at Cal before becoming the starter as a redshirt freshman. After two seasons there, he transferred to Indiana, where he won a national championship and the Heisman Trophy. He entered the 2026 NFL Draft after that season, and the Raiders took him with the No. 1 overall pick.
He signed a four-year, $57.271 million rookie contract with a $38.112 million signing bonus, plus a fifth-year option the Raiders can decide on in 2029.
In 2025, Mendoza started 16 games for the Hoosiers and completed 72 percent of his passes for 3,535 yards, 41 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also carried the ball 90 times for 276 yards and seven scores.
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