The Raiders have spent the last few seasons chasing stability at quarterback and coming up empty. This offseason, though, Las Vegas finally built a room that looks like it can hold together.
That matters because the Raiders’ quarterback situation has been a mess for a while. Since the 2023 season, they have started seven different quarterbacks and never found a real answer, not even a temporary one. The talent gap across the roster has been obvious, but nowhere more painful than under center.
Now the group looks different. The Raiders signed veteran Kirk Cousins to bridge the gap while No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza develops, and Aidan O’Connell remains in the mix as well. For a team that has been stuck in constant turnover, that trio gives Las Vegas something it has lacked for years: options.
Assistant head coach Mike McCoy has already seen the benefits of the new setup up close. After the Raiders brought him in following the hiring of Klint Kubiak, McCoy praised the way the quarterbacks are handling the competition and the day-to-day work.
“I love the way they work together. We left the building last night, whatever time that was, and as I walk through the dining area down there, a bunch of them were sitting down, the quarterbacks and some other players were just sitting there having dinner together, hanging out, and we kind of all walked out at the same time. But you just love the way they work together,” McCoy said.
He also made clear that the job is still up for grabs, even if only one quarterback will actually take the snaps when the season begins.
“There's only one quarterback who's going to be playing, and that'll play itself out over training camp and how things go, but they work together, and they help each other out. The two younger guys are very fortunate to have the two vets in front of them and to see every day what it means to be a pro, how they work, and everyone's different."
McCoy returned to that theme when he talked about the different ways the three quarterbacks prepare and the way the veterans have helped the younger players.
“Everyone prepares different, everyone has different throwing styles, things like that, but you just love to see the relationship and the connections that they've built, and the unselfishness of each one of them helping each other, because as a young quarterback, there's a lot to learn,” McCoy said.
“And then we got two vets that have done an outstanding job helping the young guys, and that's what it's all about. The character in this building is out of this world, the vets. I mean, we got a young team, so we got to help a lot of these younger players, but the leaders have really stepped up to help the young guys show them the way."
Cousins is expected to lead the way first, with Mendoza likely taking over at some point during the 2026 season. The Raiders are also likely to move on from Cousins after this season because of how his contract is structured and the investment they made in Mendoza this offseason.
That is where O’Connell becomes especially important. If Las Vegas keeps him, he could fill the backup role behind Mendoza for years to come and give the Raiders a real answer at both starting and reserve quarterback. After so much instability, that kind of continuity would be a major win.
The Raiders still have a transition ahead when they eventually hand the offense to Mendoza. But if things go the way they want, this may be the last time they need to keep three quarterbacks on the roster for the long haul.
For a franchise that has watched the position unravel season after season, that would count as finally eliminating a major need.
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