The Las Vegas Raiders appear to be adopting the old-school approach of letting the young quarterback sit and learn from the veteran. With rookie signal-callers coming into the NFL and tossing them into the fire right out of the gate, the Silver and Black might not want to do that.
As a result, it’s why Las Vegas chose to sign Kirk Cousins, who can start and help No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza in the process. Whenever it’s time for Mendoza to take the field as the starter, the Raiders want to ensure there aren’t any training wheels needed.
While there’s a chance Mendoza beats out Cousins for the starting job, CBS Sports NFL analyst Nate Burleson doesn’t see that scenario playing out as OTAs and mandatory minicamp approach.
“I think Kirk’s going to have to fumble that opportunity away,” Burleson said in a May 5 video posted by Sports Illustrated. “[Mendoza is] not going to beat out Kirk Cousins right now. Kirk is still a veteran quarterback, and if you look at the money they paid him, he’s going there to play quarterback. You don’t pay a guy that much just to teach a young buck how to throw the ball.”
Last season with the Atlanta Falcons, the 37-year-old showed that he can still play at a high level. Cousins received a 76.0 overall PFF grade as he threw for 1,721 yards and 10 touchdowns against five interceptions across 289 dropbacks. Moreover, he recorded nine big-time throws and five turnover-worthy plays for the Falcons.
Nate Burleson Expects Big Things From Fernando Mendoza
Cousins will allow the Raiders to be competitive while giving Mendoza time to properly adjust to the NFL and to Klint Kubiak’s offense. Despite Burleson seeing the veteran start Week 1 for the Silver and Black, the analyst notes he has high expectations for the rookie.
“I met [Mendoza], so it’s a little bit different,” Burleson added when asked about which rookie will have the biggest impact on his team. “It’s easy to say, ‘Oh, the No. 1 draft pick,’ but his focus and the way he looks at the game are a lot different than any other young guy I’ve met.”
Fernando Mendoza Gives Update on Learning Raiders Offense
Meanwhile, Mendoza participated in the rookie minicamp, and despite being the team’s franchise signal-caller, he’s putting in the attention to detail that will allow him to pick up Kubiak’s offense.
On May 2, Mendoza spoke with Las Vegas media and shared an update on his progress in understanding the playbook as he looks to be ready when OTAs and mandatory minicamp get underway for the team in the coming weeks.
“[Kubiak] won a Super Bowl last year, so I saw a lot of him,” Mendoza told reporters. “I love watching NFL football on Sundays, so I watched a lot of Coach Kubiak. Then, when I was drafted and got here, I was able to get the playbook.
“However, going now to be in the facility and having access to the film and seeing the application, seeing Kirk Cousins do it back in Minnesota, seeing Sam Darnold do it last year in Seattle, seeing the application and how it’s supposed to be executed and how it’s done at a high level is really beneficial for my development.
“That’s something from coming in Day 1, just seeing it on paper and taking it in, and then Day 2, last night with the coaches, really studying, ‘OK, this is how Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold did it. This is how their footwork and eyes looked.'”
Kirk Cousins Lands Clear Take on Raiders Starting QB Job