Fernando Mendoza’s time coming, but Kirk Cousins must start Raiders opener

Kirk Cousins did not light the world on fire this preseason. He did not seize the Raiders’ starting quarterback job with a collection of spectacular throws or produce overwhelming evidence that he is still the quarterback he was before tearing his Achilles in 2023.

He isn’t.

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins throws during the first half of an NFL preseason football game against the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026, in Las Vegas. AP Photo/John Locher

The arm strength is not what it once was. The ball does not always arrive with the same velocity, and the explosive throws that once defined Cousins’ game appear less frequently now.

But the Raiders aren’t choosing between Cousins at his peak and Fernando Mendoza. They are choosing between the current version of Cousins and a rookie quarterback who is still learning how to play the position at the NFL level.

For now, Cousins is their best option.

Klint Kubiak might not be ready to make that declaration. But I am.

Cousins needs to be the Raiders’ starting quarterback when they open the season against the Dolphins on Sept. 13.

That might not create much excitement among a fan base naturally curious about Mendoza and eager to see the first overall pick begin his career. But starting Cousins is the responsible move for a team that still has questions throughout its offense.

The Raiders have not yet proved they can consistently protect their quarterback. Their wide receivers did little during training camp and the preseason to demonstrate that they can regularly create separation or generate explosive plays. The game plans were vanilla, certainly, but the lack of playmaking from that group became too persistent to ignore.

Neither situation is especially conducive to supporting a rookie quarterback.

Mendoza flashed plenty of qualities that should excite the Raiders. He showed poise, toughness and the ability to work through his progressions. He also experienced the inevitable rookie moments that reminded everyone why the transition from college football to the NFL can be so difficult.

“I’m happy with where he’s at,” Kubiak said. “But we just got to keep pushing him to be better.”

Mendoza understands that.

“The NFL is really tough, and there is a big jump going from college to the NFL, and the speed,
and there are just so many different aspects,” he said. “And the NFL is a tough business, and it’s a challenge I look forward to taking head-on with my teammates.”

There is no shame in that. Mendoza is talented, but talent alone does not eliminate the learning curve.

Cousins gives the Raiders a veteran capable of managing the offense, recognizing defensive looks before the snap and getting the ball out before the protection breaks down. He understands how to survive when circumstances are not ideal. At this stage of his career, that awareness might be more valuable than his arm.

He can hold down the fort while buying Mendoza and the Raiders time.

The key is understanding that Cousins should be a bridge, not a roadblock.

Fernando Mendoza of the Las Vegas Raiders stands on the field during a timeout in the second quarter of a preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers on August 27, 2026, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 49ers defeated the Raiders 18-12. Getty Images

As long as the games carry legitimate meaning, the Raiders should give Cousins every opportunity to keep them competitive. If there is enough pixie dust floating around and they surprisingly remain in the playoff hunt, they should ride Cousins for as long as he keeps them there.

The NFL season has a funny way of rewriting expectations. A favorable bounce, an unexpected victory or a young player emerging ahead of schedule can change the direction of a season. If the Raiders find themselves playing meaningful football in November or December, they should not turn away from it merely to satisfy an artificial quarterback-development timeline.

Winning still matters.

But there must also be a point when the organization honestly evaluates where the season is headed.

Once the games lose their meaning, Mendoza needs to play.

Not eventually. Not for one carefully scripted late-season cameo. The Raiders must give him a legitimate opportunity to start games, make mistakes, respond to those mistakes and experience everything that comes with playing quarterback in the NFL.

They cannot waste an entire season allowing him to watch from the sideline if the only thing Cousins is preserving is a marginally better final record.

There is value in Mendoza learning behind a veteran. He can observe how Cousins prepares, installs a game plan, studies an opponent and handles the weekly pressure attached to the position. But eventually, observation produces diminishing returns.

At some point, Mendoza needs the education that only live football can provide.

He needs to feel an NFL pass rush collapsing around him. He needs to identify disguised coverages, make protection adjustments and learn when to take a chance and when to throw the ball away. He needs to experience the consequences of a bad interception and then walk back into the huddle on the next possession.

Those lessons cannot be recreated in practice or absorbed from the sideline.

The Raiders invested too much in Mendoza — and his development is too important to their future — to reach the end of the season without a better understanding of what they have in him and what he still needs to improve.

That does not mean rushing him onto the field before he is ready. It means creating a thoughtful plan and being prepared to act when the circumstances change.

Cousins has earned the right to start the season. He remains the steadier option, even if he is no longer the quarterback he was three years ago. His job is to give the Raiders stability, keep the offense functioning and preserve the possibility that this season becomes more competitive than expected.

Mendoza’s time will come.

The Raiders just have to make sure that when winning is no longer the primary benefit of playing Cousins, developing Mendoza immediately becomes the priority.