Kirk Cousins Fernando Mendoza
Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images, David Butler II-Imagn Images
The Las Vegas Raiders looked like one of the NFL’s early surprises after winning their first three games of the season. However, as the team has now lost four consecutive games, the Raiders now face a big question at the game’s most important position.
After the Raiders dropped their fourth straight game on Sunday, veteran Kirk Cousins was asked about the possibility of being replaced by rookie Fernando Mendoza. Cousins didn’t push back on the idea, saying that if he isn’t the best option, he doesn’t want to be on the field either.
Raiders’ Losing Streak
After starting the season 3-0, Las Vegas has now lost four consecutive games, including the 35-21 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, which dropped the Raiders to 3-4 on the season.
Cousins wasn’t the problem in the game, at least statistically. The 38-year-old completed 26 of 44 passes for 295 yards and two touchdowns. However, with the team losing and the No. 1 overall pick waiting in the wings, the questions are getting impossible to ignore.
The Raiders selected Mendoza with the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft after he led Indiana to a national championship. Las Vegas has so far chosen to let him develop behind Cousins, but that plan looked a lot better during the team’s 3-0 start than it does after four consecutive losses.
‘The Organization Will Do What They Feel Is Best’
Speaking to reporters after the game, Cousins was asked about the possibility of being replaced by Mendoza, and he had a pretty clear and classy response.
“It’s really the same every day that it was in March or April,” Cousins said, via Vegas Sports Today. “I mean, nothing changes in the sense that if I’m not the best option then I don’t want to be out there, either. I want our football team to have the best chance to win games, and if [in] the first OTA if that had become apparent, I would have been the first one to say, ‘Yeah, you can’t play me.'”
Cousins also had plenty of praise for Mendoza, who has been sitting behind him throughout the season.
“So nothing changes, you know, and the organization will do what they feel is best. I feel that, you know, Fernando’s done a great job and has a great future ahead, and I try to go out there and play as well as I possibly can help us win and give him a great example to learn from, until he does go out there eventually,” Cousins said.
We’ll have to see whether or not team will ultimately decide to make a change.
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