The Las Vegas Raiders were the worst team in the NFL last season. Now they have the No. 1 pick, a shiny new Heisman Trophy winner, and a veteran quarterback who might steal his job in Week 1. That is weird and interesting and exactly what happens when you sign Kirk Cousins in free agency and also draft Fernando Mendoza.
Mendoza, the Indiana product who won a national title and the Heisman last season, was supposed to be the franchise savior. But new head coach Klint Kubiak hasn’t handed him anything. Cousins is still here. And according to Mendoza, that might be a good thing.
On The Rush Podcast, Mendoza talked about what he’s learned from the 18-year veteran so far. It wasn’t about arm strength or footwork. It was about how Cousins works when nobody is watching.
“Seeing the lengths Kirk has gone to on the mental aspect of it, the way he stays after hours, is there till 7 PM at night studying, is something that I look up to and I am looking to replicate,” Mendoza said.
He kept going. He said the advice Cousins gives him all comes down to one thing: preparation. Not just being ready but being over-prepared. “Doing everything possible and being prepared to the max point in order to best serve their teammates and give themselves the best chance to succeed on Sundays.”
Who starts Week 1? Nobody knows yet
Cousins took a one-year deal worth $25 million guaranteed. That is not backup money. If he’s healthy and the offense is humming, Kubiak might go with experience over upside. That would put Mendoza on the bench to start his rookie year.
But here is the thing about first-round quarterbacks: they almost always play. Mendoza is the top pick. The Raiders need to know what they have. Even if Cousins starts, it probably won’t take long before Mendoza gets his shot. Kubiak and his staff want to see him in real games, under pressure, making mistakes and learning from them.
In the meantime, Cousins will try to keep the Raiders competitive. If he can stack enough wins early, maybe Las Vegas stays in the playoff picture long enough for Mendoza to take over on his own terms.
Either way, Mendoza is paying attention. And Cousins is setting an example that goes beyond the depth chart. The rookie is watching, staying late, and building a process he hopes will last his whole career.
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