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Kirk Cousins remains firmly in the driver's seat to start the season as the Las Vegas Raiders' top quarterback. Head coach Klint Kubiak confirmed after last night's preseason loss to the Arizona Cardinals that the job is Cousins' to lose. Despite the Raiders selecting Indiana Hoosiers star Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Cousins, a seasoned veteran with 15 years of NFL experience, is currently listed as the starting quarterback on the team's depth chart.
Mendoza had a solid outing in his NFL debut, but Kubiak emphasized that the rookie remains on a learning curve. According to Sports Illustrated, Kubiak stated that Mendoza would get "plenty of experience" during the preseason, suggesting multiple quarters of play. However, the decision to keep Cousins as the starter aligns with the team's strategy to gradually introduce Mendoza to the NFL level, as noted by Yahoo Sports.
Despite the unconventional approach of not immediately starting a first-round rookie quarterback, NFL insider Mike Florio from Pro Football Talk expects Mendoza to take over the starting role by the end of the season. Mendoza himself described the quarterback situation as a cooperative effort with Cousins, emphasizing mutual growth and team success.
As the preseason progresses, Raiders fans will closely watch how this quarterback dynamic unfolds, with Cousins leading the charge for now and Mendoza waiting in the wings for his opportunity.