ESPN analyst somewhat confirms what most of the Raiders fanbase has been thinking for some time now regarding Fernando Mendoza
The Las Vegas Raiders are in a very fortunate position with rookie QB Fernando Mendoza and Kirk Cousins.
The Las Vegas Raiders quarterback situation has been the biggest storyline of the offseason, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter just put a stamp on what the fan base already felt.
Kirk Cousins will start the 2026 season as the Raiders’ starting quarterback, with No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza working his way up from the bottom of the depth chart. Schefter’s confirmation aligns with everything the Raiders have signaled throughout OTAs and mandatory minicamp this offseason.
“I think he’ll start the season as the Raiders quarterback,” Schefter said. “They’re going to bring along their number 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza slowly, and it’s a good combination. They know they have their present and future accounted for at the quarterback position.”
Mendoza is starting from the ground up
This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who followed the team’s offseason program. Mendoza started minicamp as the QB3, getting reps with the third-string players. Cousins took all the first-team reps, Aidan O’Connell worked with the second string, and that hierarchy will likely carry into training camp.
Mendoza himself has acknowledged the pecking order, stating he’s getting reps with the threes and working his way up from the bottom. Coach Klint Kubiak and offensive coordinator John Spytek have both said they’d rather a veteran quarterback play first before the rookie gets his chance.
The only real argument for Mendoza starting right away was the pedigree. He was the No. 1 overall pick, a former Heisman Trophy winner, and a national champion at Indiana. His relationship with Tom Brady has been noticeable throughout the offseason. But the Raiders want to get this right, and they’ve been burned before by rushing the process.
Las Vegas learned from last season’s failures
This is a team that won only three games last season, and quarterback play was far from the only problem. The offensive line was bad. The running game was bad. The wide receiver play left plenty to be desired. The defense was atrocious and didn’t force enough turnovers.
Las Vegas wants to make sure that whenever Mendoza does get his opportunity, whether that comes midseason or next year, the roster around him is ready to compete. They’re not going to throw him out there and watch him take unnecessary punishment behind a unit that isn’t prepared to protect him.
Cousins is the right bridge for this situation
Bringing Cousins back made no sense unless the plan was for him to start. That’s why the Raiders gave him the deal they gave him. Cousins still has something left. He played with Atlanta last season and, while the numbers weren’t spectacular, he had decent moments considering the circumstances. He says he’s fully healthy from his Achilles injury and feeling good.
What stands out most is the mentality Cousins has brought to the building. He’s stated he doesn’t want to play unless he’s the best man for the job, and he’s been publicly supportive of Mendoza. That combination matters. The likely scenario is Cousins plays until he strings together consecutive bad games, then Mendoza takes over. When that transition happens, it should be smooth. If it makes headlines, it should be because Mendoza earned the job, not because Cousins is upset about losing it.
That’s the vibe Las Vegas has cultivated throughout this offseason, and it’s the kind of environment that gives a franchise quarterback the best chance to develop properly.
For now, though, Mendoza has to beat out O’Connell in training camp before he’s even considered the backup. Camp is set to start soon, and that battle will be worth watching closely.