NFL Insider Reveals Raiders' Surprise Plans for Fernando Mendoza

FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - OCTOBER 11: Fernando Mendoza #15 of the Las Vegas Raiders runs against the New England Patriots during the fourth quarter at Gillette Stadium on October 11, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Edward Monigan IV/Getty Images)

The Las Vegas Raiders kicked off the Fernando Mendoza earlier than expected, but not by much.

The Raiders shipped veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins in a blockbuster trade just before this week’s deadline, sending him back to the Minnesota Vikings and handing the starting job to the rookie Mendoza. While the Raiders had planned to slowly develop Mendoza behind Cousins, an NFL insider revealed on Sunday that the transition was coming sooner than expected.

Raiders Ready to Turn to Fernando Mendoza

ESPN’s Ian Rapoport reported that the Raiders were already making plans to install Mendoza as the starter, with the next few weeks serving as the guidepost for when it would happen.

“Sources told NFL Network that the Raiders planned to unleash the No. 1 overall draft selection in the next few weeks,” Rapoport reported. “If Las Vegas had lost Sunday to the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos on Nov. 22, Mendoza would have started Nov. 29 against the Cleveland Browns.”

Rapoport noted that the Raiders kept their plans for Mendoza private, but Rapoport shared that the No. 1 overall pick would take the reins as soon as the Raiders were out of the playoff picture. That moment could have been coming soon, as Las Vegas dropped four of five games since starting the season 3-0.

Raiders Showing Faith in Fernando Mendoza

The Raiders have shown faith in their rookie quarterback. Head coach Klint Kubiak said this week that Mendoza can operate the full playbook and has the support of his teammates.

“His teammates know how prepared he is,” Kubiak said. “It’s not just lip service, but he has shown it on the practice field.”

Mendoza won’t have an easy transition to his starting tenure in the NFL, facing an improving Seattle Seahawks team. But Raiders general manager John Spytek said Mendoza has done everything needed to prepare for the moment.

“It’s something that [Mendoza] worked very hard for since the moment he walked into this building,” Spytek said this week, via NBC News. “He passed every test. I want to stop short of saying he’s earned it, but he put us in a position where we had to make a really hard decision today with his growth as a person, as a teammate, as a leader, as a quarterback.”