Raiders’ QB timeline could move even faster after Fernando Mendoza’s performance

HOUSTON — The Raiders have been remarkably consistent about Fernando Mendoza since the day they made him the first overall pick in the NFL draft.

He is their future.

They also believe there is no reason to unnecessarily rush that future into the present.

Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza likely will start at some point during the regular season. AP Photo/David J. Phillip

From minority owner Tom Brady to general manager John Spytek and throughout the organization, the preference has been to give Mendoza something increasingly rare for a quarterback drafted first overall: time.

Time to learn an NFL offense. Time to adjust to the speed and complexity of NFL defenses. Time to experience some of the inevitable growing pains without every mistake potentially affecting the outcome of a regular-season game.

That philosophy was a major reason the Raiders signed Kirk Cousins, a four-time Pro Bowler with more than 44,000 career passing yards, to serve as both a bridge to Mendoza and a legitimate starting quarterback.

And it remains the most likely reason Cousins will be behind center when the Raiders open the regular season.

Most likely, however, isn’t official.

And Raiders coach Klint Kubiak apparently isn’t ready to make it so.

Asked Thursday night after the Raiders’ preseason win over the Texans whether he was ready to name his starting quarterback, the first-year Raiders coach declined.

“We got another week. I don’t want anyone to be comfortable in their job,” Kubiak said. “It should always be that way for all positions. So, let’s keep going.”

Raiders coach Klint Kubiak wasn’t ready to name his starting quarterback Thursday night. AP Photo/David J. Phillip

Maybe it’s coachspeak.

In fact, the smart money remains firmly on Cousins.

He has taken most of the first-team work throughout camp, and the Raiders’ organizational preference to bring Mendoza along patiently hasn’t suddenly disappeared.

But when Kubiak was presented Thursday night with an opportunity to end the discussion, he didn’t.

And that matters, even if only a little.

Mendoza’s performance against Houston certainly didn’t scream that a change of course is necessary.

Making his first NFL start, the rookie was intercepted by Texans linebacker Wade Woodaz, who returned it 80 yards for a touchdown.

It was entirely Mendoza’s mistake, a pass thrown behind running back Mike Washington Jr. and directly into Woodaz’s path.

It was also the type of mistake that illustrates exactly why the Raiders have preached patience with him.

Rookie quarterbacks make rookie mistakes.

But one bad decision isn’t going to alter how the Raiders feel about Mendoza, either.

The question isn’t whether Mendoza will eventually become the Raiders’ quarterback.

The more interesting question is when.

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And barring some sort of surprising Raiders run that keeps them in playoff contention from beginning to end, it would be difficult to imagine Mendoza going through his entire rookie season without getting meaningful playing time.

That’s simply the reality of drafting a quarterback first overall.

The Raiders can afford to be patient with Mendoza. What they cannot do is waste an opportunity to not only find out what they have in him but also to expedite his development by getting him significant playing time this year.

There is some useful history here.

For years, sitting a rookie quarterback was considered the prudent developmental path. Patrick Mahomes spent almost his entire rookie season behind Alex Smith in Kansas City. Aaron Rodgers waited years behind Brett Favre in Green Bay.

But those situations have increasingly become exceptions. And both of those quarterbacks were drafted by teams with legitimate playoff and even Super Bowl hopes.

It made sense to stay status quo with the quarterbacks already in place and let Mahomes and Rodgers develop behind them.

It’s what the Rams are doing now with Ty Simpson and Matthew Stafford.

The modern NFL generally pushes highly drafted quarterbacks onto the field sooner rather than later. Part of that is organizational impatience. Part of it is the financial advantage of having a starting quarterback playing on a rookie contract. And part of it is the simple reality that at some point development requires actually playing.

By all indications, the Raiders resisted the temptation to accelerate Mendoza’s timeline simply because of where they drafted him.

Their reasoning makes sense.

Raiders QB Kirk Cousins likely will start the regular season as the team’s starter, but nothing has been set yet. Getty Images

Cousins gives them the luxury of doing so.

And if he is playing well and the Raiders are winning, there is no compelling reason to make a quarterback change simply because Mendoza was drafted first overall.

On the other hand, if the season begins drifting away from them, everything changes.

At that point, every week Mendoza spends watching becomes another week of missed opportunity. In fact, it would be irresponsible if the Raiders don’t play Mendoza the very moment games start losing meaning.

That’s why Mendoza playing at some point this season feels less like an if than a when.

What Kubiak did Thursday night was leave open the possibility that the timeline could move even faster.

It might be nothing more than a coach maintaining competition throughout his roster. Kubiak specifically made his point about “all positions,” not merely quarterback, and no first-year coach wants players believing their jobs are secure before the preseason is even finished.

Still, words matter.

Especially when Kubiak could have simply said Cousins is his starter.

Instead, he said the Raiders have another week.

Another week for Cousins.

Another week for Mendoza.

Another week before Kubiak has to turn what everyone inside the Raiders’ building has viewed as the logical plan into the official one.

Cousins remains the favorite to start the season.

But until Kubiak actually closes the door, Mendoza still has his foot in it.