The Las Vegas Raiders will trot out a new quarterback during the second half of the 2026-27 NFL campaign.
Despite insisting Kirk Cousins was off-limits in trade talks, the AFC West franchise shipped the four-time Pro Bowl signal caller to the Minnesota Vikings for a third-round pick on Tuesday, allowing Fernando Mendoza to finish his rookie season as Las Vegas's No. 1 QB.
Shortly after Cousins’ trade was announced, the Michigan State product sent a brief message to Mendoza as he navigates life as a starting NFL quarterback.
“Go get em,” Cousins said on Instagram while tagging Mendoza.
Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, has appeared in three games with the Raiders this year as a backup, completing six of his eight passes for 48 yards. Given Cousins’ veteran presence and consistent production throughout his career, the Raiders felt inclined to give the former Washington Commanders QB the nod to begin the new season.
To Cousins’ credit, his play validated Las Vegas’ mildly controversial QB decision, as he’s completed 202 passes for 2,340 yards, 20 touchdowns, and eight interceptions on the 4-5 Raiders.
That said, it’s clear Las Vegas is ready to begin a new era in early November, and it’s highly unlikely it’ll backfire in the end.
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