For the first time since Mark Davis took over ownership of the Las Vegas Raiders, the team is going to start a first-round pick quarterback they drafted. Kirk Cousins has been traded to the Minnesota Vikings for a third-round pick, which paves the way for Fernando Mendoza to start.
Many owners may have already forced the issue. They’ve invested a lot in Mendoza, so another owner would want to see that investment in action. Instead, Davis has remained hands-off and has allowed the front office and coaching staff to dictate when Mendoza would play.
It helped that Cousins was playing well for the Raiders. Not that he’s off to Minnesota; there’s no controversy. Mendoza is the starter for the rest of the season and hopefully for the next decade.
Davis is still not trying to meddle, but he made sure to praise Cousins upon his exit and made it clear that he’ll always be a part of the franchise.
“I’m just letting the process play out,” Davis told Paul Gutierrez of Raiders.com. “When we drafted Fernando No. 1, we wanted to take the pressure off him being the Day 1 starter. And Kirk had been spectacular. He was a true Raider. Once a Raider, always a Raider.”
Davis Ready to See What Mendoza Has
Though he wasn’t going to force head coach Klint Kubiak to play Mendoza, there’s no doubt he’s been eager to see the rookie play.
“It’s Fernando’s time to start the season,” Davis said. “We’re ready to rock and roll and keep the season going.”
The Raiders likely would’ve preferred to wait to start Mendoza. Having his first start against the Seattle Seahawks isn’t ideal. However, the team had to trade Cousins before the deadline, or they would’ve missed out on a third-round pick.
“Circumstances dictated that, in a sense,” Davis said. “That was the trade deadline.
“Fernando and Klint, this is now their journey.”
Davis ‘Excited as Hell’
Cousins was doing some good things, but there’s going to be a lot more interest in the Raiders the rest of the season. For his part, Davis can’t hide his excitement.
“Today is a major milestone in Raider history,” Davis said. “I’m excited as hell.”
Mendoza is an exciting player, but he’s also a rookie. It’s fair to assume the offense could take a step back under him. That’s not what the Raiders believe. General manager John Spytek wanted to make it known that the team still thinks they can win.
“This in no way signifies that we are punting on this season or looking forward to 2027,” Spytek said in a press conference. “That is not the intention of this.
“This is the ultimate team sport, and it takes everybody.”
Mendoza has only played a small handful of snaps this season, but according to tight end Brock Bowers, he’s ready to go.
“Everything he does in practice shows me,” Bowers said. “He throws a great ball. He’s been making quick decisions, good decisions. So I’m excited to see him get to work live action, and him using his legs. I’m excited to see that. I’m just excited for him.”
Mark Davis Shares Honest Thoughts on Kirk Cousins & Fernando Mendoza