The Raiders have not made any kind of official pronouncement that Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza will be the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft, but Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins has made clear that he knows Mendoza is coming to Las Vegas — and he knows Mendoza will start if he out-performs Cousins in training camp.
Cousins said on NFL Network that he has already told Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak that he’ll accept being a starter or Mendoza’s backup, whichever is best for the team. And Cousins said he’s already talking with Mendoza about playing together.
“I honestly don’t want to start unless I’m the best option, and I told Klint that,” Cousins said. “The best player should play. As long as that’s the case, I have no qualms about however it plays out. I do think Fernando is going to be a great addition to our team. I think he’s going to have a great future in our league. I have no problem being a voice in the room to help him to the degree I can. He’s going to have great support around him with the coaching staff, but to be able to watch a veteran quarterback go through his habits and routines and process, that can be a great asset for him. He was here yesterday on his draft day visit. We were able to watch film together. I think he’ll be a great addition to the room.”
Cousins was disappointed in 2024 when he signed with the Falcons only to have them draft quarterback Michael Penix a month later. But this year, Cousins is going into the draft with his eyes open: He knows the Raiders’ franchise quarterback is Mendoza.
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