Expectations were not high for the Las Vegas Raiders heading into the season. It’s easy to understand why. They were the worst team in the NFL in 2025.
The positive news about such a bad season is that the Raiders got the No. 1 pick, which they used on quarterback Fernando Mendoza. However, the team decided to sign Kirk Cousins and give him the starting nod instead.
That decision was met with some pushback, but nobody is complaining now. The Raiders are 3-0, and Cousins is tied for the NFL lead with nine touchdown passes. For now, it doesn’t look like Mendoza starting is even close to happening.
That said, it’s still early in the season. ESPN’s Dan Graziano believes it’s an “overreaction” to suggest that Mendoza won’t play this season.
“This is a really fun story, but are you banking on it lasting? The Raiders’ next four opponents are the Chiefs, Patriots, Bills and Rams,” Graziano wrote. “Las Vegas might turn out to be one of this season’s surprise teams, and the future certainly looks bright around Mendoza whenever he does get in there. But no one really expects him to sit for the whole year unless the Raiders just keep winning and stay in first place. And that’s going to be a lot tougher than what they’ve accomplished so far.
“We’ll see Mendoza at some point this season. It just won’t be as soon as most people imagined it would be. Good on Cousins, Klint Kubiak and the whole Raiders organization for that.”
How Can Cousins Keep Starting Job?
After Week 1, it looked like Cousins couldn’t throw the ball downfield anymore. That has proven to be a fluke, as the veteran quarterback hit plenty of deep shots the last two games.
The biggest knock on Cousins is that he can’t really move. He’s 38 and wasn’t that athletic in his younger years. Mendoza is bigger, faster and stronger at this stage of his career.
That doesn’t really matter right now. The Raiders seem to want Mendoza to redshirt his rookie year, and with Cousins playing well, that decision will be easy. All Cousins has to do to keep his job is simply do what he has been doing.
Now, it’s not fair to expect him to throw three touchdowns every game, but if the Raiders keep a winning record and Cousins is leading a solid offense, the team won’t make a change.
Would it Be Bad to Have Mendoza Redshirt?
No. 1 pick quarterbacks almost always start immediately as rookies. The last No. 1 pick quarterback who didn’t play at all as a rookie was Carson Palmer in 2003.
Teams that use the top pick on a quarterback usually have a massive need at the position, so that’s why they play so quickly. Palmer ended up having a solid NFL career, so not playing in Week 1 had a positive effect on him.
It certainly can’t hurt Mendoza to not play this season. He gets to sit back, learn and get accustomed to the pressure that faces an NFL quarterback. The Raiders will likely get him on the field at some point, but there’s no rush.
Insider Reveals if Fernando Mendoza Will Play for Raiders This Season