At several points during the offseason, it was anyone's guess as to who would win the Las Vegas Raiders' starting quarterback battle. But training camp made it clear that the Raiders were going with the veteran Kirk Cousins over the No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza. Klint Kubiak finally confirmed that.
Is that the right choice, though?
It may all be a moot point before long, as the 38-year-old Cousins isn't likely to hold Mendoza off for much time, whether it be his underwhelming play doing him in or the team not winning games against a tough schedule and the pressure mounting on the Silver and Black to make a significant change.
But FanSided's NFL quarterback rankings have Cousins and Mendoza slotted right next to each other, which highlights just how close the call really is between the two signal-callers. The fact that they're so close, though, could be an argument that Las Vegas should roll with the young gun.
FanSided NFL QB rankings have Fernando Mendoza and Kirk Cousins neck and neck
In this tiered ranking system, which was based solely on a player's prospects for only the 2026 NFL season, Cousins and Mendoza both ended up with the "replacement-level-starter" distinction. This means they were just below the "game manager" tier and above the "high-ceiling backup" level.
That may sound a bit ridiculous, but fans have to factor in that some perceived Cousins as the starter and Mendoza as a backup, or vice versa, and that caused the rankings to balance out between the latter two aforementioned tiers. And they were neck and neck: Cousins at 6.48 and Mendoza at 6.42.
This puts them above the likes of Tua Tagovailoa, Geno Smith, Michael Penix Jr., Mac Jones, Jacoby Brissett and Jameis Winston, but still below players like Tyler Shough, Joe Flacco, Bryce Young, Jaxson Dart and Malik Willis. That doesn't seem right, but it's not about how they compare to others.
No matter how you slice it, the Raiders' two quarterbacks carry an even perception according to NFL experts. But that probably shouldn't be the case for a 15-year veteran and a rookie before he even plays a snap. And this plays fully into the idea that Las Vegas should just trot Mendoza out there.
If it's close, Raiders' Klint Kubiak should start the younger player
Look, I recently made the Devil's advocate argument that sitting and learning could be the best thing for Mendoza. And it may ultimately be. But rebuilding teams in the NFL typically roll with younger players if all things are equal, and that describes where the Las Vegas Raiders are right now.
Cousins may have better mastery of the offense because of his experience playing in it, and he may make fewer mistakes in the early going. But he can't make the high-level plays that Mendoza can, as the rookie is more mobile and has a stronger arm. That's the give and take the Raiders are looking at.
Because they are clearly in a rebuild window, it may behoove them to let the young player learn via trial by fire. If this team had real playoff hopes, then Cousins would make sense, but in a brutal AFC West and with a daunting schedule, that's a bit too high to shoot, even for the most optimistic fans.
Kubiak has made his choice, and Cousins will be under center in Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins. Time will tell if that's the right call. FanSided's rankings serve as another reminder of just how close these two players are, and if it's the rebuild they say it is, the Raiders' choice should be Mendoza.
Let's see how long it takes for them to come to that. My guess is not long.
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