Klint Kubiak gives a little inside information regarding a plan for rookie CB Jermod McCoy when it comes to the first preseason game
The Las Vegas Raiders have a plan in place for Jermod McCoy in the preseason, and we are going to see him on Thursday.
The Las Vegas Raiders play their first preseason game of the 2026 season on Thursday, and coach Klint Kubiak has confirmed the starters will see the field.
Kirk Cousins, tight end Brock Bowers, and defensive end Maxx Crosby are all expected to play, though the exact workload remains unclear. The bigger storyline surrounds the Raiders’ rookies, particularly fourth-round cornerback Jermod McCoy, who has generated significant buzz throughout camp.
When Kubiak was asked if there are any limitations on the rookie cornerback, his answer was definitive.
“We expect him to play and expect him to compete, and we’re excited to see him play,” Kubiak said.
That excitement extends well beyond the coaching staff. McCoy is the kind of prospect who makes a preseason opener feel like appointment viewing.
McCoy’s draft slide makes Thursday’s debut even bigger
Everyone knows the story by now. McCoy could have been the best cornerback in this draft class, and he still might be for all we know. But a lingering knee injury with multiple layers of complexity caused every team in the league to pass on him, including the Raiders. Las Vegas didn’t select him until the fourth round, though the front office traded up to grab him because it simply couldn’t pass up the opportunity again.
McCoy is a fourth-round cornerback who was supposed to be a first-rounder. In a way, Raiders fans are waiting to see two first-round talents take the field Thursday. Fernando Mendoza, the rookie quarterback, is expected to get a significant amount of reps, according to Kubiak. McCoy will get quite a few of his own.
The difference between the two is what fans are watching for. With Mendoza, the curiosity centers on his arm talent, his poise, and how the offense looks under his command. With McCoy, the intrigue is layered. Fans want to see the talent.
They want to see what he can do and what the potential looks like at the NFL level. But they also want to know: is he fully healthy? How does he look at this point of the offseason as he works his way back into football shape? He hasn’t played in a full year.
No limitations is the best news the Raiders could give
The fact that Kubiak placed no restrictions on McCoy tells you something about where the rookie stands physically. There is really only one way to get better, and that’s by playing. If McCoy is ready for that challenge, the Raiders are ready to let him loose.
Las Vegas made a calculated bet when it traded up in the fourth round. The talent was never the question. The health was. Thursday’s preseason opener gives the Raiders their first real chance to see whether that bet is going to pay off, and it gives McCoy a chance to remind everyone why he was considered a first-round talent in the first place. Football is back, and the Raiders are back. Thursday is going to be a blast.
