Las Vegas Raiders rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza concluded his preseason in a way he likely wishes he could change
The Las Vegas Raiders are still in a good position with the future of their franchise with Fernando Mendoza.
The Las Vegas Raiders closed out training camp and the preseason Thursday with a loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
The result hardly matters. Preseason games are about individual performances, players fighting for roster spots, and young talent proving they belong. For the Raiders, the end of the preseason also means the end of watching Fernando Mendoza play quarterback until he’s eventually named the starter.
That timeline, of course, remains firmly in Kirk Cousins’ hands. Cousins played in the first and last preseason games, totaling about three possessions. He sat out the second game entirely because almost none of the starters played, outside of wide receiver Jalen Nailor and a handful of snaps from Jack Bech. Mendoza will be the backup when the regular season begins, and the next time fans see him take meaningful snaps will be whenever he ascends to QB1.
Mendoza’s preseason numbers don’t tell the full story
The raw stat line is not pretty. Mendoza finished the preseason with a 54.1% completion percentage, 240 passing yards, 13 rushing yards, one passing touchdown, two interceptions, and four sacks. He was hit far more than those four sacks suggest. Those numbers aren’t great. There’s no sugarcoating that. But they don’t mean he played poorly, either.
Did he have plays he’d want back? Absolutely. His final interception falls squarely on him, more so than the pick against the Houston Texans, when he threw a checkdown to Mike Washington expecting him to sit at the top of his route. Washington didn’t, the ball sailed behind him, and that was that. This latest interception hit Nailor in the hands but was a touch high.
The ball placement would have been difficult to improve given the window, but it’s still Mendoza’s interception on the stat sheet. His lone passing touchdown came on a 6-yard slant to Bech, the only time he got his offense into the end zone through the air across three games.
What Mendoza showed matters more than the box score
Despite the underwhelming numbers, Mendoza flashed real promise. He showed poise in the pocket. He showed he can bounce back after mistakes. And he showed he doesn’t make the same mistake twice. That last trait was talked about throughout the offseason, and the preseason backed it up. Across three games, he never repeated the same error.
Beyond that, he got progressively better and progressively more comfortable. The difference between the first preseason game and the last one was significant, particularly when operating under center. That was a known concern heading into the season. At Indiana, Mendoza lined up under center on only a handful of plays out of every snap he took. The growth there was visible and encouraging.
The pocket poise stood out, too. Mendoza handled pressure with the composure of a quarterback who understands the position, even if the production hasn’t caught up yet. He showed flashes of why the Raiders drafted him and why he could eventually become the franchise quarterback for this team.
The timeline is right for Mendoza’s development
He’s not ready yet, and that’s fine. That’s exactly why the Raiders brought in Cousins. That’s why they also have Aidan O’Connell as a strong third quarterback option. The infrastructure is in place for Mendoza to develop without being rushed.
When his time comes, he could be ready. And if he’s not fully there, he’ll grow into it. Cousins will likely remain the starter until offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak says otherwise. But Mendoza, despite the rough preseason numbers, showed enough to justify genuine excitement about what’s ahead for Las Vegas.
