Fernando Mendoza will take the field for the first time in a Las Vegas Raiders uniform as the team plays its first preseason game on Aug. 13 against the Arizona Cardinals.
Mendoza will give fans a taste of where he’s currently at in learning head coach Klint Kubiak’s offense. Moreover, it will be a glimpse of what the future holds for the Silver and Black, given that the team hopes that Mendoza can be their franchise QB.
Nonetheless, regardless of how the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft performs in the preseason, ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky says the Raiders shouldn’t deviate from their plan for his development.
“You don’t have to rush him onto the field,” Orlovsky said on the Aug. 13 edition of “Get Up.” Do I think he should play at some point this year? Yes. But I think you’re waiting until at least as long as you can, a situation where we’re out of the playoff conversation. Kirk Cousins isn’t doing the job that we need him to anymore.
“Let’s get this guy experience. I don’t think there’s anything that he should do in the preseason that goes, ‘We have to go play him. This guy’s the difference between us winning games and losing games.’ Don’t rush.”
Raiders Shouldn’t Follow Recent Trend of Handling No. 1 Picks
Last season for the Indiana Hoosiers, Mendoza played 724 total snaps, leading to an 87.9 overall PFF grade. Moreover, he threw for 2,758 yards and 32 touchdowns against five interceptions while also recording 16 big-time throws and nine turnover-worthy plays. On the ground, Mendoza added 200 scramble yards and six rushing touchdowns.
Despite his college success, Las Vegas isn’t taking shortcuts with his development and isn’t following what teams have done in recent years: having the No. 1 pick (if it’s a QB) play right away and learn on the job.
“It’s so hard to be the No. 1 pick and pan out very well with that organization,“ Orlovsky added. “It’s not a group you want the number one overall pick going out there being attached to. And then also from an offensive line perspective, we talk about Geno Smith and how he played last season and how it wasn’t on the good side of things.
“A large part of that was because of the offensive line. So, you don’t want the No. 1 pick going out there. We live in a society today where everyone just wants to thrust these young players out there. Hey, just go play because you’re the No. 1 overall pick. It’s okay to make sure that the circumstances are okay before that young player goes out there and actually starts a football game.”
Maxx Crosby Issues Strong Message to Fernando Mendoza
Aside from what’s going on out on the field, Mendoza is also getting advice on how to lead despite being a rookie. Maxx Crosby isn’t an offensive guru, but he does know what it takes to be a leader in the NFL.
As a result, the veteran pass rusher is passing on words of wisdom to Mendoza, including being a leader now, even though he might be QB2 and is a rookie on the team.
“In this league, you need a great quarterback to win and compete,“ Crosby said while speaking to the NFL Network on Aug. 3. “And Fernando is going to be that guy at some point, and I want to see him succeed. I want this organization to succeed. I’m a Raider to the core, and I want to win more than anything. So, it’s going to take all of us, not just myself. It’s everyone. It’s all three levels, you know what I mean?
“… I don’t want to just be the only guy talking all the time. It can’t just be me. It’s not basketball where Kobe [Bryant] grabbed the dudes and was like, ‘No, this is what we’re doing.‘ There’s 15 dudes on the team. You got 90 guys on the roster right now and 40 coaches.”
Raiders Get Strong Fernando Mendoza Take Before Preseason Debut