One of the big storylines this NFL offseason is what the Las Vegas Raiders plan to do at quarterback. They selected Fernando Mendoza first overall and expect him to be the franchise quarterback of the future; however, his time as the starter may not begin in Week 1.
The Raiders may opt to take things slowly with Mendoza as he gets used to the NFL’s pace. Las Vegas also signed veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins this offseason with the idea that he could begin the season as the starter. That seems likely to be the case after hearing head coach Klint Kubiak talk about Cousins in his recent press conference.
Klint Kubiak is “Counting” on Kirk Cousins
It is rare for a first overall pick not to begin the season as the starter, yet that seems likely in Las Vegas. The Raiders seem to want Cousins to start the season and help develop Mendoza. Then, at some point, the former Indiana star will take the starting role and look back no more.
According to Sam Warren, Raiders coach Klint Kubiak spoke with reporters and said, “If you watched Kirk play his last 4 games in Atlanta, you saw what he could do. He’s getting healthier. He’s played really good football for us this time of year, and we’re counting on him come the season.”
Cousins played 10 games for the Atlanta Falcons last season, throwing for 1,721 yards and 10 touchdowns with five interceptions. He led the Falcons to a 5-3 record in his eight starts and showed flashes of quality play.
Klint Kubiak on Kirk Cousins’ health:
“If you watched Kirk play his las 4 games in Atlanta, you saw what he could do. He’s getting healthier. He’s played really good football for us this time of year, and we’re counting on him come the season.”
— Sam Warren (@samwarren83) June 11, 2026
According to PFSN’s QB Impact Metric, Cousins had an impact score of 70.9 last season, which was 30th in the NFL.
The soon-to-be 38-year-old may not have much left in the tank, but he is a great bridge option for the Raiders, and that is likely why Kubiak is counting on him. Cousins has as much NFL experience as almost any active quarterback, so he can be a great sounding board for Mendoza.
The Raiders are not expected to be competitive in 2026, as they are still in the rebuild stage. However, that rebuild can be accelerated if Mendoza develops into a star quarterback faster than expected.
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He is the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and has all the traits you look for in a successful NFL quarterback. While Mendoza may not begin the year as the starter, his time will come at some point, and it will be exciting to see what he can do.
