The Las Vegas Raiders have a brand-new QB room, with the only player from last year being Aidan O’Connell. This offseason, the Silver and Black signed Kirk Cousins and drafted Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick.
With the departures of Geno Smith and Kenny Pickett, the Raiders are hopeful that these moves can lead to better play from the signal-caller position. Nonetheless, while all signs point to Cousins playing Week 1, Mendoza is the future for the Raiders.
Still, the veteran signal-caller can show that he can still play at a high level despite being in his late 30s. On June 9, Cousins spoke with the media and shared his thoughts on the team’s QB room amid mandatory minicamp.
“They’re great people,” Cousins said. “They’re fun to work with. We have fun in the meetings. We have good dialogue. They’re great football minds, great studiers. They can push me.
“I think to say I’m mentoring them is a bit of a reach, probably more of a narrative than it is the truth, in the sense that they’re pretty good players and pretty experienced, and I’m learning a lot from them too and asking questions of them. So it’s always been a working force together in the quarterback room, and that’s what it is.”
Kirk Cousins Shares More Details on Raiders QB Room
Moreover, Cousins went into more detail about how all three QBs complement each other as they work to improve and be ready whenever the team needs them on the field.
“Nobody’s leading more than someone else,” Cousins added. “I think we’re all just kind of a working force together, helping each other, giving feedback, giving perspective, giving another set of eyes.
“And I’ve always felt I prepare my best during the season when we can all kind of be together in that room in the evening going over things together rather than working in our own silos. I think when we can kind of all be giving feedback on each other, that’s when the best ideas come out.”
Kirk Cousins Gets Blunt About Aidan O’Connell
While the conversations have been on Cousins impacting Mendoza’s growth and that certainly is happening, the veteran took the time to put the spotlight on O’Connell and what he’s seen from the QB heading into Year 4.
“They got good habits, good preparation,” Cousins said about the two QBs before shifting the focus to O’Connell. “With Aidan having been here, there’s a lot I can learn from Aidan about how things work here. And he’s just very bright. I really believe strongly that Aidan’s best football in this league is ahead of him.
“If you know my story, my fourth year in the league was when everything kind of turned for me. And Aidan’s in his fourth year now. And I’ve seen a lot of quarterbacks come through Washington, Minnesota, and Atlanta. I’ve observed a lot. There were eight guys in my draft class who were all kind of expected to have great careers.
“I’ve followed guys for a long time, and there’s a lot about Aidan where I say, why can’t this guy have a long, successful career in this league? I’m just seeing all the traits that you have to have to be a great player in this league. So I think he’s got a bright future, and his best football’s ahead of him.”
Kirk Cousins Doesn’t Hold Back on Raiders’ QB Room