After the Las Vegas Raiders spent the first two months of the season getting No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza acclimated to the NFL, the team made a move on Tuesday that threw him headfirst into a starting role.
The Raiders shipped starting quarterback Kirk Cousins to the Minnesota Vikings in the hours before the trade deadline, handing the starting job to Mendoza and sending a strong message about their faith in him.
Raiders Showing Faith in Fernando Mendoza
Even before the terms of the Cousins trade were finalized, many team insiders noted the message the Raiders were sending to the rookie quarterback. Vincent Bonsignore noted that the team was willing to scrap its plans to slowly roll him out behind the steady veteran Cousins.
“The @Vikings are potentially changing the timeline for Fernando Mendoza….stay tuned…..” Bonsignore wrote in a post on X.
Reporter James Palmer of NFL on Prime added that the Vikings were confident that Mendoza is ready to start immediately.
“The #Vikings are finishing a TRADE for #raiders QB Kirk Cousins per source,” Minnesota believes he can step right in. The Raiders have felt that Fernando Mendoza has been ready. The capital they received was enough for LV to pivot from the plan they have for their rookie.”
The team’s message to Mendoza comes amid a light workload this year. The rookie quarterback has appeared in just one game, completing 6-of-8 passes for 48 yards in a blowout loss to the New England Patriots.
Raiders Changed Course Quickly on Fernando Mendoza
Prior to Tuesday’s trade, the Raiders organization was on board with a slow-walking strategy on Mendoza’s development. Owner Mark Davis said in an interview on Monday that he wasn’t pushing the coaching staff to replace Cousins with Mendoza.
“From me, there’s absolutely no pressure whatsoever,” Davis said, via Adam Hill of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “I’ve seen quarterbacks get fast-tracked onto the field and they may do well, but they don’t learn all the intricacies of footwork and everything else it takes, so they’re limited in their development, maybe throughout their career. I’m really happy with the way it is with Fernando right now, and we’ll see what happens.”
The team’s drop in the standings may have played a role in the decision to move to Mendoza. The Raiders started 3-0 before losing four straight games, and now stand outside the playoff picture at 4-5.
Raiders QB Fernando Mendoza Gets Strong Starting Message Amid Kirk Cousins Trade