The Las Vegas Raiders have no plans to rush Fernando Mendoza.
And whether you think that's a good idea or not, that's the reality. The Raiders took Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, but that doesn't guarantee anything about the Indiana national champion and Heisman Trophy winner's role in the season ahead.
Vegas specifically signed Kirk Cousins in the offseason to add a veteran presence.
They still have Aiden O'Connell, too.
So when Mendoza was first on the field with those two, he actually got his reps with the third-team offense.
ESPN's Ryan McFadden thinks that might change sooner rather than later, though.
"During OTAs, Kirk Cousins worked solely with the first team, followed by Aidan O'Connell with the second team and rookie Fernando Mendoza playing with the third team," McFadden wrote in a new article on Monday. "That wasn't surprising, given Mendoza is still learning the system and the Raiders are being patient with his development. But will those reps change during minicamp? Mendoza has impressed the coaches and teammates with his work ethic and ability to pick things up quickly. It's not guaranteed, but it wouldn't be surprising if the Raiders switch up the quarterback reps a bit to see where Mendoza is at before they take a monthlong break ahead of training camp."
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The Raiders are probably wise to let Mendoza take things at a comfortable pace.
On the flip side, Mendoza seems to have a strong football IQ, and he's clearly very talented. He could do just as well if he has the training wheels taken off.
The Raiders know that at the end of all this, they just want to have Mendoza be the best QB he can be. Don't expect them to change too drastically.
But as McFadden writes, it would make sense for Mendoza to get a few more notable reps this summer to start to see more of what he's capable of.
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