With Kirk Cousins taking all of the reps with the 1s and Fernando Mendoza exclusively rolling with the second group, things have been pretty cut-and-dry regarding the quarterback competition at the Las Vegas Raiders' training camp practices. Cousins seems to have the obvious edge at this point.
But Klint Kubiak isn't calling the fight yet; not even close. He has maintained his message that Mendoza and even Aidan O'Connell will theoretically have the chance to dethrone Cousins if they can put together a strong enough showing in the remainder of camp and into the preseason.
His latest comments about the quarterback room, however, invite an obvious question.
"We know that, with Aidan [O'Connell], too, we've got three NFL-ready quarterbacks," Kubiak told reporters. "We need to keep getting all of them ready to play."
So... if Mendoza is "NFL-ready," why isn't he getting reps with the first team? And why wouldn't he simply get the starting nod?
Klint Kubiak's declaration that Raiders have 3 "NFL-ready" QBs lands as confusing
The whole point of bringing Cousins in was to have him show Mendoza the ropes and get him to a point where he is ready to play in the NFL. The front office and staff can say all they want about Cousins giving them a chance to win, but he is simply a buffer if Mendoza isn't prepared by Week 1.
And perhaps this was just an off-the-cuff comment by Las Vegas' new leader, but to declare that Mendoza is ready for the NFL is critically important. Fans have heard quite a few positive reports about him at camp, but they've also heard that he's struggled.
Ultimately, what matters most is what the coaching staff thinks about him. And so again, the obvious question is, why not start Mendoza if you think he can handle it? This is a rebuild, and the sooner the Raiders get their young pieces tested, the better. The sooner the future can arrive.
Now, there are other factors at play. Perhaps Cousins, who reportedly struggled on Friday, is playing better than Mendoza, even if both are deemed to be up to the task. Kubiak has been steadfast in his belief that the best player should play, and if that's not Mendoza, then starting him is hypocritical.
That said, the big picture is still important here. Throwing Mendoza to the wolves would be ill-advised, and having Cousins prevents them from having to do that. Maybe the offensive line or wide receivers aren't holding up their end of the bargain, and Las Vegas doesn't want to subject Mendoza to that.
Saying that Mendoza is NFL-ready and not starting him, though, is an interesting choice, regardless. Shouldn't he be learning to face adversity if things aren't perfect? Isn't he a mature, mentally tough player who can not get his confidence shaken by some miscues, sacks or drops?
Look, Kubiak had high praise for Mendoza later in the press conference, but it is clear that he is still viewing the young player as a rookie, which is seemingly a hard label for the Raiders' new coach to shake.
"He's just continuing to get better. He's improving. Every day brings a new challenge," Kubiak said. "There's new things that he's learning every day, and again, he's working hard. He's like everybody, every other rookie. They are introduced to a whole new level of football, and there's going to be days of failure and days of success. As long as they keep getting better, that's what we're working for."
Well, how much better does Mendoza need to be than "NFL-ready" for a serious conversation to start about him being the first-string quarterback by Week 1? There's a difference between getting better and getting ready and actually being ready. Mendoza is ready, according to Kubiak.
Again, perhaps he just misspoke, or we're reading too far into this. But it seems like the reasoning for not starting Mendoza has been about him needing to be prepared for the moment. And it sounds like he is ready. The good thing, at least, is that Kubiak doesn't seem to be ruling anything out.
"I mean this honestly, I'm not really married to any position. I think we're a new staff here, we're trying to establish something, and there's got to be competition anywhere. And we'll just sit here and let the tape reveal itself."
Without seeing the tape, it is hard for the fanbase to make a decision. All we can go on is what the coach says about him. And if Mendoza is ready, then the Raiders should start him, because the only reason for him to be the No. 2 guy is if he's not ready. Kubiak says he is, so what's the holdup?
Fans know who Cousins is, and the Silver and Black aren't competing with him under center this year. The only way for them to exceed expectations in 2026 is if Mendoza quickly becomes the player that Raider Nation knows he can be. And so if he's ready at this early juncture, he may be well on his way.
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