As much as Las Vegas Raiders fans are excited about each of the new pieces on the roster and all of the first-time coaches in the building, the fanbase will ultimately care most about who the team decides to start at quarterback between rookie Fernando Mendoza and veteran Kirk Cousins.
Everyone under the sun has a prediction about when the young player will eventually take the reins if he doesn't begin the season. Some believe it'll be as early as Week 3, others around Week 6, and some not until the second half of the 2026 NFL season. And nobody is wrong because no one knows.
But perhaps the thing that the team and Raider Nation should be focused on first is when to decide who starts under center to begin the year against the Miami Dolphins in Week 1. One Las Vegas reporter believes that he knows when that original choice will be made.
Reporter circles after Week 2 of preseason for Las Vegas Raiders' starting QB decision
ESPN's Ryan McFadden recently predicted when the Silver and Black would pick their starting quarterback for opening weekend. He believes that things will come to a head after the second game of the preseason against the Houston Texans.
"Even though the Las Vegas Raiders did not provide a specific timeline for when they'd like to name a starting quarterback, I think we will have an idea of who that will be after their second preseason game against the Houston Texans in August," McFadden said. "The Texans are one of, if not the best, defensive units in the NFL, and that joint practice and game will be a good indicator of where Fernando Mendoza is at from a developmental standpoint. Also, that game is ahead of the preseason finale against the San Francisco 49ers. Typically, teams across the league like to rest their regular season starters during the final game of the preseason."
McFadden is absolutely right that this matchup and joint practice with the Texans will test a young Raiders team in the early going. And his point about the preseason finale being a time for veterans and starters to rest is spot-on as well.
Now, head coach Klint Kubiak did sort of provide a timeline for when he'd like to name a starting quarterback. He told reporters early in OTAs that the starter will reveal himself during training camp, which is a bit before the preseason starts. So, there is that.
But if the position battle is as spirited as most believe it will be, and early signs from OTAs indicate that nobody is cowering and everyone is rising to the occasion, then things may drag on a little longer in Las Vegas. And two preseason games, plus one joint practice, are enough to make a decision.
Ideally, the Raiders do know who their starter is, at least after the final preseason game. But following Week 2 of the preseason, which will be around August 21, sounds like a sensible date to circle for when the Silver and Black will make this decision.
The good news is that, whatever they decide in late August, it is not permanent, and Las Vegas seemingly has more than one quarterback solution. In fact, they may even have three. But being realistic, only two have a shot at the crown, and fans are counting down the days to see who nabs it.
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