The Las Vegas Raiders have come back down to earth after racing out to a 3-0 start, as they have suffered back-to-back losses at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots. There’s certainly no shame in losing to either team, but it’s clear that the Raiders still have a lot of work to do on both sides of the ball.
So far this season, the quarterback debate involving Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza has been cast to the side, but after a pair of losses, the conversation has bubbled to the surface. One guy who has been keeping tabs on the situation is Raiders’ legend Rich Gannon, and in an interview with casino.org, he provided Heavy on Raiders with exclusive comments on the team’s quarterback situation and what he expects from this group over the remainder of the year.
Rich Gannon Issues Eye-Opening Kirk Cousins, Fernando Mendoza Take
Despite selecting Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Raiders have rolled with Cousins under center to begin the year, and the results have been better than expected. At some point, though, Las Vegas is going to see what it has in Mendoza, and Gannon thinks that time is coming soon, although he admitted Cousins could force the Raiders to keep playing him if he continues to lead the team to wins.
Kirk Cousins could certainly keep Fernando Mendoza on the bench, but I don’t see that happening,” Gannon told Heavy on Raiders. “I think at some point the Raiders are gonna make a decision to get Mendoza in at No. 1 and give him some starts, but I think some of it depends upon how the team does in terms of wins and losses. It also certainly depends upon how Kirk Cousins continues to perform.”
Seeing Cousins excel is one thing (given how poorly he performed over the past two seasons for the Atlanta Falcons), but he’s also doing so in an offense that isn’t exactly loaded with talent. In Gannon’s eyes, the wide receiver position is the biggest area of need for this team, and while it could benefit greatly from bringing a new face to town, he doesn’t know who would be a realistic target for Las Vegas.
“Coming out of training camp, I knew wide receiver was an issue,” Gannon admitted. “The lack of depth, talent and, experience in that group, it’s a big concern. We don’t have a legitimate number one … The problem is that when you look at making a trade, you need to see who is available. How much will you have to give up getting them? And how much of an impact are they going to make? I don’t know of a team that’s ready to unload a No. 1 receiver right now.”
Does Rich Gannon Think the Raiders Can Make the Playoffs?
With a 3-2 record, the Raiders are ahead of where anyone reasonably thought they would be through five games. And yet, with a tougher slate of opponents on the horizon, the rug may be getting pulled out from underneath this team. While Gannon is thoroughly impressed with what he’s seen from this group, he knows that it is still too early for the team to make a real playoff run.
“I don’t think this current Raiders team is a playoff-caliber team just yet in terms of their depth and talent,” Gannon said. “I am very encouraged by the start that they had, but I don’t think that it’s sustainable in terms (of) when I look at the schedule for the rest of the season … If the Raiders could be 9-8, I think that would be an awesome season for them when you consider that they’ve got a first-year head coach, a lot of young players, and a young quarterback.”
Anything can happen in the NFL, so who’s to say Las Vegas can’t keep winning? The problem is that things will continue to be very tough for this team, as it will follow up its contest against the Chiefs and Pats with a clash against the Buffalo Bills in Week 6. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET, and if the Raiders lose again, it’s fair to wonder if the calls for Mendoza to replace Cousins under center will begin to pick up.
Exclusive: Rich Gannon Gets Real on Raiders’ Kirk Cousins, Fernando Mendoza Dilemma