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Kirk Cousins or Fernando Mendoza, that’s the question the Las Vegas Raiders face going into the 2026 season. The Cousins and Mendoza competition is one of the hottest in the NFL right now, and even though it’s obvious that Mendoza is the quarterback of the future for the team, it’s a question mark as to when he’ll get the start.
It’s tough being a rookie quarterback with so many expectations. Mendoza has won a Heisman Trophy, and the Raiders are looking to him to help resurrect this franchise. But, he has no experience in the NFL, and there’s no guarantee that he’ll be ready for action anytime soon.
That’s where Cousins comes in. But, Mendoza is getting some early props and kudos ahead of the 2026 season, and that should give him confidence if he does get the go-ahead to start earlier than expected.
Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza is in a promising position
In a quarterback ranking released on Wednesday, Bryan DeArdo of CBS Sports names Mendoza a “prized project” and gives him a bit of a confidence boost. In the piece, he also calls Mendoza the “focal point of not only his team but this season’s discussion surrounding first-year signal-callers.”
“Aside from the fact that the Raiders haven’t been good in recent years, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner is in a pretty good situation,” he notes in the story. “He’s going to play under Klint Kubiak, who came to Las Vegas after winning a Super Bowl as Seattle’s offensive coordinator. He’ll get a chance to learn from not only Kirk Cousins but also from Raiders minority owner Tom Brady.”
So, while the other first-round quarterback, Ty Simpson, probably won’t get any playing time this season, that’s not the case for Mendoza. Plus, Mendoza has Kubiak, who’s fresh off a Super Bowl win, and Brady, who has a few of those championships himself. It’s really an ideal situation for Mendoza going into his first season with the Raiders.
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