The biggest storyline this upcoming season will be how the Las Vegas Raiders manage quarterbacks Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza. Las Vegas is trying to establish a foundation under new head coach Klint Kubiak following Pete Carroll’s failed campaign last season, and effectively transitioning to Mendoza under center will be key to their success.
Kirk Cousins Still Has Far More Command of Raiders’ Offense Than Fernando Mendoza
With an offense that posted a 56.3 PFSN Offense Impact score in 2025, which ranked second-worst in the league, and a defense that ranked 21st on PFSN’s Defense Impact Metric, the Raiders finished 3-14. As a means of rebuilding the team, they went after Mendoza with the first overall pick in the draft and are now tasked with turning him into a franchise quarterback.
The Raiders are taking a conservative approach by signing Cousins to mentor the rookie. While some believe Mendoza could be a Day 1 starter, former NFL linebacker Kirk Morrison, who spent five years with the Raiders, backs Cousins as the ‘expert.’
“Fernando Mendoza learning how to be a leader now in the National Football League,” he said on “The Rich Eisen Show.” “That’s one of the hardest things for any rookie quarterback, let alone player. Like I remember as a rookie, you kind of sit back a little bit. You try to figure out how do I lead? Where do I lead? Because right now Kirk Cousins is able to go and say, ‘Hey, hey, no, no, get over here. Line up here. No, no, you’re the X.”
Cousins will be 38 when the new season kicks off and already has 14 years of NFL experience, including four postseason appearances. While he has more years behind him than in front, his insights will be invaluable in paving the way for Mendoza to become the starter.
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“There’s a level of expertise that Kirk Cousins has right now that Fernando Mendoza is going to get,” Morrison added. “He’s going to learn. It’s not there yet. So, I think as you go into the season, what will reveal itself is who’s the guy that can get you to week one and can help you win right away. There’s no doubt the future is Fernando Mendoza, but you want to be able to have him go out there when the time is right. We don’t want to rush it.”
Mendoza was the face of college football last season, winning both the National Championship and the Heisman. However, he’ll still need an experienced mentor to make a strong start in the pros.
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“We don’t want to rush it unless Kirk Cousins is just god-awful,” Morrison said. “And I don’t think that from what I’ve [seen from] talking with him and seeing what he’s been able to do so far in T-shirts and shorts has looked pretty good.”
Whether Mendoza becomes the full-time starter as early as this season will be interesting to watch.
