The 2026 NFL Draft is less than two weeks away, and what might happen during those few days is the talk of the league. The draft is the most highly anticipated event of the offseason, and many people are already discussing the top picks. The Las Vegas Raiders hold the first pick in the draft, and they are projected to select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
The Raiders have been in QB purgatory for many years, and they hope Mendoza is the one to help turn their franchise around. However, he may not be a lock to start Week 1 of the 2026 season. The Raiders signed veteran Kirk Cousins to a five-year, $172 million contract this offseason, which is basically a one-year, $20 million contract, and he has a chance to start Week 1.
Ian Rapoport Details Why Kirk Cousins Could Be the Raiders’ Week 1 Starter
Rarely is a first overall pick not the Week 1 starter at QB. We have seen numerous first overall QBs step right in and be productive in Year 1, but we have also seen some struggle. Having Cousins on the roster can give the Raiders the luxury of giving Mendoza time to develop.
Ian Rapoport joined “The Rich Eisen Show” to discuss the upcoming NFL season. He was asked about who he thinks will start in Week 1 for the Raiders.
“It feels to me like Kirk Cousins,” Rapoport said. “Money Talks, he is going to make $20 million as a quarterback for the Raiders.”
“He [Cousins has not been told that you’re the week one starter,” Rapoport added. “I do not believe he has been told because there is a chance that they get there and Fernando Mendoza is so good and so intellectually ready, which it sounds like you know… But I would say money generally talks, so I would expect him to be the starter. And how long it lasts? I don’t know, but like he played pretty well by the end of the year. I think he might have some years left.”
Cousins has been the ultimate veteran during his career. He has played well as a starter but has also been replaced by younger quarterbacks on numerous occasions. According to PFSN’s QB Impact Metric, last season, Cousins had an impact score of 71.1, ranking 30th in the NFL.
The situation he is entering in Las Vegas is nothing he is unfamiliar with, and it will be interesting to see him and Mendoza battle it out in the offseason.
It would be a surprise to many if Mendoza does not play a significant amount of football this upcoming season. The only way he is going to develop as a QB is by playing, and he should have an opportunity to do plenty of that this season.
In the 2026 draft, the Raiders have four picks in the top 102, giving them a unique opportunity to find multiple starters in the upcoming class. After selecting Mendoza first, they should look to build around him. They could use help on the offensive line and at wide receiver.
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Also, this is the first draft class for new head coach Klint Kubiak, who comes over from being the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks. He is going to want to load up his offense, which is why it makes sense for the Raiders to use a few of their premium picks on that side of the ball.
The Raiders have not won a playoff game since the 2002 season, when they lost in the Super Bowl. Many fans and analysts hope Mendoza and the new-look Raiders can get back into contention sooner rather than later.
