klint kubiak john spytek
Getty
Klint Kubiak and John Spytek of the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Las Vegas Raiders made the decision to cut ties with quarterback Geno Smith before the start of free agency. It wasn’t a surprise move, as Smith clearly wanted to move on.
The Raiders are likely using their No. 1 pick to draft Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, so he’s the quarterback of the future. However, Aidan O’Connell is the only other quarterback on the roster.
There’s a chance Mendoza could start right away as a rookie, but it could be important to have a veteran in the room. Smith would’ve made some sense as that veteran, but the Raiders decided it was best to move on.
According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, the team is planning to bring in a veteran.
“If the Raiders continue to lean toward drafting Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in April’s draft, their preference is to not start him immediately,” Russini wrote.
“Look for Las Vegas to bring a veteran QB in free agency.”
What About Kirk Cousins?
Luckily for the Raiders, there are some solid veteran options in free agency. It’s hard to imagine they’ll take a chance on a younger veteran like Kyler Murray.
It makes more sense to go with somebody who has been in the NFL a little longer and can be a mentor for the rookie. The Athletic Ted Nguyen likes the idea of the Raiders signing Kirk Cousins.
“Kirk Cousins would be a good mentor and nerd out partner for Mendoza,” Nguyen wrote.
The Atlanta Falcons are moving on from Cousins, so he’ll be a free agent. It’s possible that there could be some suitors who promise him a starting job. The Raiders can tell Cousins he’s going to be the starter, but he’s already been unseated by a rookie within the last two seasons. If he’s willing to take a mentor role, he’d make a ton of sense with head coach Klint Kubiak, who previously coached Cousins on the Minnesota Vikings.
John Spytek Doesn’t Love Idea of Starting Rookie
Mendoza has played a lot of college football games, so starting him as a rookie isn’t out of the question. However, general manager John Spytek said at the NFL Scouting Combine that he’d prefer to limit the pressure he’d put on a rookie.
“I think you want to limit the amount of pressure you have on that guy from the start,” Spytek said at the Combine. “Now, if you have a young quarterback, I’m not necessarily in favor of running him out there right away either. So another quality player that can play the quarterback position if you have a young quarterback. And obviously, a great offensive line, a run game, all the things that can limit his chances to really get killed. And a great defense too, because if he doesn’t feel like he’s got to go out there and score 35 points every week, I think that’s helpful.”
This doesn’t mean that Mendoza won’t be the Week 1 starter, but it does sound like the Raiders would like to have a veteran on the roster in case he’s not ready.