Kirk Cousins is the safe answer at quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders, and the team seems fine with that.
Fernando Mendoza may be the future, but right now he looks like a quarterback who still needs time. Cousins, meanwhile, isn’t making a fuss about not having the QB1 label yet. He said he’s handling the situation one step at a time, according to a Raiders post on YouTube.
“I think it’s just up to Coach,” Cousins said. “You do the best you can with the opportunities you’re given.
Lead as well as you can. Compete.
You’re never a finished product.”
That fits the moment in Las Vegas. Mendoza isn’t ready to be tossed into the fire, and forcing him into that role wouldn’t help the Raiders much anyway. This doesn’t look like a team built to win a lot of games this season, so there’s little upside in rushing a young quarterback into a spot where the learning curve could get ugly fast.
The bigger point is timing. If Mendoza can sit until around Week 8, he’ll have a better feel for what actually happens once the games start counting. That kind of patience could matter more than anything in shaping his chances to succeed.
The final preseason game offered a glimpse of why the Raiders are taking this route. Mendoza came on after Cousins handled the first two drives, and the pressure came quickly. He finished 7 of 14 for 51 yards and threw an interception.
There’s also the issue up front. The offensive line is serviceable, but it doesn’t look ready to shield a rookie quarterback for four full quarters while he’s figuring things out on the fly. Pro Football Focus has the Raiders at No. 18 in the NFL along the line, which puts them in that middle ground - not a disaster, but not a group that screams “start the rookie now.”
Gordon McGuinness wrote, “The Raiders made Tyler Linderbaum by far the highest-paid center in football, and he should have a huge impact on their ability to run the football,” and also noted, “The former first-round draft pick has earned PFF pass-blocking grades below 65.0 in each of the past two seasons but PFF run-blocking grades above 80.0 in three of his four seasons in the NFL.
“Look for this to be an ascending group in 2026 and one with serious potential to move up these rankings throughout the season.”
Cousins brings something else the Raiders need right now: experience in every kind of mess an NFL quarterback can face. He knows how to keep going when the situation isn’t perfect, and Las Vegas can use that for at least the first half of the season, maybe longer.
If Cousins gets the Raiders to a 4-4 start, there’s at least a chance he stays in the mix while the team is still alive in the playoff picture. That said, it doesn’t sound like the likeliest outcome.
For now, Cousins is the placeholder. But he’s a useful one. The Raiders made the right call by bringing him in, because it lets them bring Mendoza along at the right speed instead of forcing the issue.
And at this stage, that’s exactly what the Raiders need.
In Other News...
Raiders Defense Suddenly Has An Early Rookie Scare
The Raiders got an unwelcome look at their young pass-rush depth in the preseason matchup against the 49ers, when rookie edge rusher Keyron Crawford had to be carted off the field with an ankle injury and was ruled out. For a defense that already had plenty to sort through this summer, losing a third-round pick so early is a sharp reminder of how quickly the tone can change in August.
Crawford was expected to be a key part of Las Vegas defense, which makes the next round of health updates especially important for a team counting on its rookies to contribute right away. The injury leaves the Raiders waiting to see how serious it is and what kind of setback, if any, it could become as they work toward the regular season. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Fans May Need More Patience With Fernando Mendoza
The Raiders wrapped up their 2026 preseason at Allegiant Stadium against the 49ers, and the biggest takeaway for fans still tracking the quarterback future was Fernando Mendoza getting another meaningful look. Klint Kubiak started Kirk Cousins, but he also gave the rookie extended work as part of the evaluation process, hoping the added snaps would help accelerate Mendozas development before the games start to count.
Mendozas night was uneven, finishing 5 of 9 for 38 yards with an interception and taking two sacks, a reminder that young quarterbacks often need more than a few preseason appearances to settle in. The Raiders are clearly giving him a chance to learn on the job, but the performance also showed why patience may be part of the package if he is going to become a real factor down the line. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Preseason Finale Raised Real Week 1 Questions
The Raiders preseason finale at Allegiant Stadium offered a last look at some of the rosters newest faces, and it came with enough uneven play to keep the conversation going well into September. In an 18-12 loss to the 49ers, Kirk Cousins handled the first two series and moved the offense for 51 passing yards, while rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza finished 7 of 14 for 57 yards and an interception.
There were encouraging flashes elsewhere, especially from rookie running back Mike Washington Jr., who picked up 49 yards on eight carries before leaving early, but the night also brought a setback on defense when rookie end Keyron Crawford went down with an ankle injury and did not return. For a team still sorting out depth and roles, the final tune-up left more questions than answers about how ready the roster is for Week 1. [Read more 🡒]