Kirk Cousins, Los Angeles Rams
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ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JANUARY 04: Kirk Cousins #18 of the Atlanta Falcons warms up prior to the game against the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 04, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
The Las Vegas Raiders may have found their Week 1 starter.
The team signed veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins, his agent shared on Thursday. Though the Raiders are expected to land Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in this month’s NFL draft, some already expect that Cousins will take over the starting role to begin the season.
Kirk Cousins Could Land Starting Job With Raiders
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Thursday morning that Cousins had come to terms with the Raiders on a new contract, citing the quarterback’s agent. The terms of the deal were not immediately clear, but Cousins was seen as one of the top available free agent quarterbacks and likely to compete for a starting job.
In an article published before Cousins signed with the Raiders, Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport predicted he would land in Las Vegas and assume the role of bridge starter as Mendoza got up to speed.
“However, just because Mendoza is the future under center in Sin City doesn’t mean he should be the present,” Davenport wrote. “And with Aidan O’Connell the only QB currently on the roster, the Raiders need a bridge starter who can hold down the fort until Mendoza is ready to take over the offense.”
Cousins is coming off a season where he appeared in 10 games with eight starts for the Atlanta Falcons. He completed 61.7 percent of his passes, throwing for 1,721 yards with 10 touchdowns and five interceptions.
Cousins could be a strong candidate to win the starting job, with 167 career starts in his career and a steady presence ahead of Mendoza.
Riders Hinted at Slow Path for Fernando Mendoza
Even before signing Cousins, the Raiders had given indications that they wanted a veteran quarterback ahead of Mendoza on the roster. Head coach Klint Kubiak said this week that he didn’t want to see a rookie thrown into the mix too early, instead giving him time to learn ahead of a veteran.
“Ideally, you don’t want him to start from Day 1,” Kubiak said, via The Associated Press. “You’d love him to be able to learn behind somebody. That’s in a perfect world. It doesn’t always work out that way. Sometimes they have to play from Day 1, and it’s our job as coaches to get them ready to go. I think it does help the player if they can sit behind a mature adult and watch how they run the show.”
But the Raiders could have slightly different plans for the upcoming season than originally intended. The team’s attempt to trade star edge rusher Maxx Crosby fell apart, sending him back to Las Vegas and halting what appeared to be a total rebuild.
Kubiak hinted that with Crosby’s return, the team is moving into “win-now” mode — which could have an impact on how long Cousins remains starter.
“We’re happy to have Maxx back on the team. He’s the best player on our defense,” Kubiak said. “He’s going to be a leader on our team and a guy that we’re counting on to go win a lot of games with him.”