When commissioner Roger Goodell walked out on stage to begin the 2026 NFL Draft, he wasn't exactly breaking any news. The Las Vegas Raiders were always going to select now-former Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick; Thursday night was just the coronation.
And while expectations are naturally high for the top selection in the draft, both the team and Raider Nation know that they have the liberty of being patient with the young player. Finally, Las Vegas is being run like a professional football organization, and it is unbelievably refreshing and promising.
But that doesn't mean that fans don't want Mendoza to be on the field right away for the Silver and Black. Most are in the camp of letting the quarterback battle determine who starts under center, but Ian Rapoport's reporting would indicate that the Raiders have a pre-ordained plan.
I don't think that's the case at all.
Las Vegas Raiders reportedly still want Kirk Cousins to start all year despite Fernando Mendoza selection
At some point on the pre-draft broadcast, Rapoport began talking about who would be under center for Las Vegas. Rotoworld snagged more of the specifics, and while Rapoport did leave things open-ended, he also made it sound as if the Raiders had already decided Mendoza's rookie fate.
"Per Rapoport, the Raiders want Cousins to mentor impending No. 1 overall pick, Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza, all season as the starter, before turning the offense over to Mendoza in 2027. That said, Rapoport rhetorically asked viewers how long Cousins’ starting stint might last this year before saying, 'we simply don’t know.' Mendoza could absolutely end up under center this season."
Fans are fully prepared for Cousins to begin the year and even play up to half of it. Heck, if Cousins is playing well or the rest of the roster is still developing, a lot of Raiders fans wouldn't mind letting Mendoza sit. But if Cousins is playing poorly or loses the battle, fans expect Mendoza to get a shot.
On that same line, John Spytek spoke to Paul Gutierrez after making the Mendoza pick official, and he wouldn't say that Las Vegas was leaning one way or another. Ultimately, it is Klint Kubiak's choice, but the second-year general manager left every option open.
"He's going to compete his tail off with Kirk and with Aidan (O'Connell). And as we've said, this is a meritocracy. This is the NFL. The best guy will play," Spytek said. "And how fast he gets up to speed and starts pushing those guys? I mean, we'll see. That'll be a lot up to Fernando, too. But we expect him to come in ready to roll. That's the kind of person he is."
That is a far cry from "Mendoza will sit the entire year as a rookie, no matter what." Yes, he and Kubiak were steadfast in their belief that it is beneficial for young quarterbacks to sit and learn. But they're not going to pigeonhole themselves, and Mendoza can learn just as well in practice.
Again, Cousins playing the entire year is certainly on the table. Las Vegas is ultimately paying him a good amount, and Mendoza might not be ready, or the team might not be quite ready to support him just yet. And any of those options is fine, as the Silver and Black are playing the long game here.
However, if Mendoza is the best quarterback on the roster, he will be out there on the field for the Raiders. Rapoport tends to have great intel, and he could absolutely end up being right. But it doesn't seem as pre-determined as he made it sound on Thursday.
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