Almost nothing can be assumed in the NFL, especially for an ever-unpredictable franchise like the Las Vegas Raiders. But for the first time in a long time, it seems like the Silver and Black have a plan, and they are hellbent on executing it under John Spytek and Klint Kubiak.
Developing Fernando Mendoza is inarguably the biggest component of that plan. But when the Raiders signed Kirk Cousins, it was clear that the team would be patient with the budding star. The question then became when Mendoza would eventually start as rookie, if at all.
Would he win the training camp battle and trot out there in Week 1? Could Mendoza sit the entire year behind Cousins? Perhaps the rookie would relieve the veteran if the team was performing poorly. The most common answer was that the Raiders should put in Mendoza after the bye if they're struggling.
That option doesn't really make as much sense after the 2026 NFL schedule was released, however.
Las Vegas Raiders' late bye week complicates Fernando Mendoza starting equation
Las Vegas not only has a brutal set of opponents on the docket and a schedule that isn't favorable, neither of which is conducive to a rookie under center on a rebuilding team thriving, but the Raiders also don't have their bye until Week 13. That is incredibly late in the NFL calendar.
It seemed obvious for a while that the Silver and Black would probably be under .500 at the bye week, and that considering that week off would come somewhere in the middle of the season, the team could call Mendoza in from the bullpen and trot him out there with an extra week of preparation.
Playing eight or so games after that would be a worthwhile venture for Mendoza and a good sample size. And any in-game experience is valuable for a rookie quarterback. But if the original plan was to just wait until the bye and see how things go, then waiting until Week 13 foils that.
Now, the Raiders are in a bit of a pickle. Unless the team starts him from Week 1, which I would still be in favor of, then they need to give Cousins at least four games of an opportunity until they call in the rookie. Unfortunately, Las Vegas' stretch from hell on the schedule runs from Week 5 to Week 12.
If at any point the Raiders plop Mendoza in during that time, he'll either be kicking off his career against a rabid defense, in a hostile road environment, or both. While the youngster has proven that he's capable of thriving in any circumstance, the NFL is a different beast, and he's a valuable resource.
Fans don't want Mendoza's confidence shaken by a rough outing against one of the league's best defenses after being suddenly thrust into action. They also don't want all that long to see the No. 1 pick finally take the field or put him in on a short week.
Had Las Vegas' bye week taken place between Weeks 5 and 10, it would have been much easier for the Raiders to prepare themselves as best they could and look at the bye week as a firm re-assessment point. A time for Las Vegas to take stock of where the team is and adjust accordingly.
But the Raiders don't have that luxury now. They'll either have to start him from the jump, which the organization has been wary of, insert him into the lineup on short notice, or wait until it is practically too late in the season for it to matter, record-wise, whether he's successful and wins games or not.
Ultimately, and it always comes back to this, the Silver and Black just need to do what is best for Mendoza. Play him when he's ready or he's needed. Don't worry about external factors like bye weeks or who is on the schedule. Or how many games he'll get to play this year if he starts now.
All experience is good experience. It may not be the smoothest thing for the organization, but if Mendoza is really the "franchise guy" that those at Raiders HQ believe him to be, then Las Vegas must only think about what will help advance his career.
And if he's "the guy," it won't matter when they put him in. He'll fare just fine, even if it's mid-game with very few, if any, first-team reps and against an elite defense. That is who the Raiders drafted Mendoza to be, so let's just worry about taking the steps to get there and let the rest of it play out how it does.
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