The Las Vegas Raiders decided to trade Kirk Cousins to the Minnesota Vikings for a 2027 third-round pick. Moreover, with the trade comes the decision that Fernando Mendoza is now QB1 for the Silver and Black.
With Cousins now in Minnesota and Mendoza taking over, many would assume that the Raiders are now in a type of learning-experience period for the No. 1 pick. Nonetheless, that’s not the message that general manager John Spytek is sending out.
On Nov. 10, Spytek spoke with the media and shared a message to the team dressing room as the team sits at 4-5 and looks to get back to .500 against the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks.
“This is for Raider Nation and this entire building: This in no way signifies that we are punting on this season or looking ahead to 2027,” Spytek said at his press conference with the media. “That is not the intention.
“We have a big game this week against the defending world champions, and we intend to attack it like we would any other week. That’s expected of us, from ownership, from Raider Nation, and from this entire building. We want to make sure that’s clearly stated.”
A win over the Seahawks, who have lost to the Washington Commanders this season on the road, would keep the Raiders in the hunt for a playoff spot.
Fernando Mendoza Forced Tough Decision on Kirk Cousins
Furthermore, Spytek shared why Mendoza made this a challenging decision for the Raiders’ front office, as the No. 1 pick from this year’s draft looks ready to be a starter and done learning from the sidelines.
“It’s something he’s worked very hard for since the moment he walked into this building,” Spytek added. “He passed every test. I want to stop short of saying he’s earned it, but his growth as a person, teammate, leader, and quarterback put us in a position where we had to make a really hard decision today. We wanted to acknowledge that as well.”
Mendoza will have a challenging start to his tenure as the Raiders’ starter, facing the Seahawks’ and Denver Broncos‘ defenses. Nonetheless, these are experiences that will allow him to grow as he looks to keep the Silver and Black fighting for a playoff spot.
Kirk Morrison on Raiders Decision to Trade Kirk Cousins
Meanwhile, Former Raiders linebacker Kirk Morrison shared his thoughts on the team’s decision to trade Cousins now.
“It’s a huge deal, but it’s one the Raiders had to make,” Morrison said during a Nov. 10 appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “Fernando Mendoza is the future, and there was no right point in the season to put him out there because of how Kirk Cousins has played.
“He’s been phenomenal, to be honest. He has 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions, and he’s really helped this football team grow culturally. He’s been the guy who’s helped Klint Kubiak instill his culture.”
Cousins had been performing well for the Raiders, recording a passer rating of 97.1 with 2,340 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and eight interceptions in nine games this season, per StatMuse.
Raiders GM Has Clear Message After Kirk Cousins Trade to Vikings