Jason Burgos
A former NFL general manager believes the Las Vegas Raiders can’t start Fernando Mendoza right away and believes they must sign a veteran quarterback to lead the offense early in 2026. And he has a specific player in mind.
While there have been a lot of rumors about which players teams will take in Round 1 of next month’s NFL Draft, there is one sure thing. The Raiders will use the No. 1 overall pick on Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, and he will be their starting QB immediately. Or maybe not.
There is always risk in thrusting a rookie signal-caller into the starting role for an NFL team. Especially one that had the worst record in the league the year before. That is why ESPN NFL expert Mike Tannenbaum believes Mendoza should begin his career as a backup and Kirk Cousins should be the Raiders’ starting QB in Week 1.
“I would sign Kirk Cousins. I think he is the ideal bridge quarterback for Fernando Mendoza,” he said on a Friday morning edition of SportsCenter. “We know they got Tyler Linderbaum, but their offensive line gave up more sacks than any team last year. Why not go out and get a veteran like Kirk Cousins to stabilize the position?
“Bring Mendoza along slowly. Don’t play him from day one, because, remember, often quarterbacks are ruined before they ever get going.”
Why the Raiders SHOULD sign Kirk Cousins
While Raiders fans would not be thrilled with the idea of having Cousins be their starting QB in Week 1, Tannenbaum’s point makes a lot of sense. Mendoza is a good QB prospect. However, he is not a generational talent, and many experts believe he would not be the first or even second QB selected in next year’s draft.
Las Vegas must be smart with his development and pull out all the stops to make sure he can succeed when handed the keys to the offense. While Linderbaum will certainly make the offensive line better next season, it is still a messy group that could be a major detriment to the QB prospect’s growth.
Cousins is far removed from the Pro Bowl-level player he used to be and was a shell of himself in Atlanta. But he is still a decent player at the position and has the experience to handle the drawbacks of playing behind an average offensive line. Mendoza still needs to learn those skills. He should not acquire them in a trial-by-fire situation during his rookie season.
Furthermore, the Raiders have the money to sign Cousins, and he is looking for the chance to start this season. If he ends up being better than expected, then great. But if he disappoints, let Mendoza replace him and have a lot more information and preparation under his belt when that moment comes.
