When the 2026 season kicks off, Kirk Cousins will be under center for the Las Vegas Raiders, with first-overall pick Fernando Mendoza learning the game from the bench.
The decision to start Cousins was made months in advance, but that doesn’t mean everyone’s on board with it.
Herm Edwards Disagrees With Raiders’ Decision To Start Kirk Cousins Over Fernando Mendoza
Las Vegas is planning for the long term. With Tom Brady one of the key decision-makers, the NFL legend is rumored to be pushing for the franchise to start Cousins early in the season as Mendoza gets to grips with the specifics of the pros.
The Raiders, of course, are not expected to be contenders in 2026.
Mendoza was the first overall pick of the draft. After years of struggling to be competitive, the Raiders don’t want to mess with his potential. But former head coach Herm Edwards doesn’t believe that they’re following the best route in his development.
During Wednesday’s appearance on “The Next Round“, Edwards gave his view and stated that, if it were a player from another position, there would be no discussion about sitting him in the first weeks, so he doesn’t think that quarterbacks should be on the bench.
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“I love Kirk Cousins. Kirk Cousins can help him all he wants in the classroom. Opening day, I’m putting him out there. You’re gonna play. If you draft a wide receiver in the first round, you’re not waiting until Week 4 to play him. Why, all of a sudden, are we babysitting these quarterbacks? Don’t babysit them. They gotta play! Make them go out there and play.”
“I love Kirk Cousins. Kirk Cousins can help him all he wants in the classroom. Opening day, I’m putting him out there… Why, all of a sudden, are we babysitting these QBs?” – @HermEdwards says the @Raiders should name Fernando Mendoza QB1 for game 1#RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/Twk8BRt8hr
— The Next Round (@NextRoundLive) August 12, 2026
This is the second time in three years that Cousins has acted as a bridge quarterback for a team. This time, however, he signed with the Raiders knowing that Mendoza would be taken in the first round, unlike what happened in 2024, when he signed a long-term deal with the Falcons and the franchise drafted Michael Penix Jr. one month later.
That said, Cousins delivered a relatively solid performance in 2025. He finished with a 73.1 grade in our PFN QB Impact Metric, ranking No. 24 out of 38 quarterbacks after starting the season as a backup.
At this point, Cousins appears to have found his groove in the league in more of a mentor role. This year, the goal is clear: provide competent quarterback play until Mendoza is deemed ready.
