kirk cousins
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Las Vegas Raiders QB Kirk Cousins.
The Las Vegas Raiders are about to have a new starting quarterback in Week 1 for the fourth year in a row. However, it’s still not clear who that starting quarterback will be to open the 2026 NFL season.
Many expect it to be Kirk Cousins after the Raiders gave him a fully guaranteed one-year contract, but they also hold the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, which is likely going to be used on Fernando Mendoza.
The Raiders don’t want to start a rookie quarterback immediately, which will give Cousins the advantage, but Mendoza isn’t out of it. Former NFL quarterback Chase Daniel thinks the Raiders have to start the rookie over Cousins immediately.
“I don’t think there’s any way that you draft Fernando Mendoza number one overall, and then Kirk Cousins plays,” Daniel said in a video posted on X.
“This is purely for a high character, high IQ quarterback room to room to help the growth of Fernando Mendoza, and they are one and the same. Like, he’s one of the guys that I’m like, when you break Mendoza down, you’re like, Okay, I can see some Kirk cousins. Has a much stronger arm at that point coming out than Kirk Cousins was as a fourth-round pick, but you can also see just all the traits in them. … He’s also going to be like, Hey, like what can I do to help Fernando?’”
Teams Weren’t Lining up to Make Cousins a Starter
Cousins was likely hoping to get a guaranteed starting job this offseason, but those jobs didn’t materialize. He’s been a very good player throughout much of his career, but he’s 37 now and has thrown fewer than 20 touchdowns in three straight seasons.
If the Raiders name Mendoza the Week 1 starter, that might not sit very well with Cousins. However, the Raiders have to do what’s best for the team. If Mendoza looks better in training camp, he’ll likely be named the starter.
Cousins almost certainly picked the Raiders because they’re the easiest path for him to start, but there didn’t appear to be any teams willing to promise him a starting job. At the end of the day, Cousins’ job is to help mentor Mendoza, whether he’s starting or on the bench.
Cousins Should Be Good Mentor for Mendoza
Luckily, the Raiders likely couldn’t have found a better mentor for Mendoza. Cousins is an experienced quarterback who has played for a number of coaches, including new Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak.
NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks believes that Cousins should pair nicely with Mendoza in 2026.
“Given his proven success with Kubiak, Cousins should have no trouble convincing Mendoza to trust the process and the progressions in film sessions and on the practice field while showing him how to run the offense like a Jedi master on game day,” Brooks wrote. “Yes, Cousins’ game and skills have diminished since his impressive run in the early 2020s, but he has the experience, expertise and temperament to be the perfect mentor for the young quarterback.”