New Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak is setting the tone and building a culture his way, and he’s taking the steps to do that. This week, photos emerge of players for the Silver and Black practicing without the Raiders shield on their helmets at Day 1 of veteran minicamp.
As a result, it appears that Kubiak wants his players to earn that shield on their helmets. Moreover, this decision by the coach is being praised by former Raiders QB Derek Carr, who says he doesn’t want this to be a one-off year in which Kubiak does this.
“I love what I’m about to say,” Carr said in an April 23 video from “Home Grown with David & Derek Carr.” “Klint took all the Raider shields off the helmet… Hey, you want to know why? Because every year in the NFL, you have to earn it. I hope he does it every year.”
Moreover, with Kubiak coming off of winning a Super Bowl as the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks, players should be more than willing to buy into this culture, given that its led to success.
Chad Johnson Talks Raiders QB Situation
One of the veterans who will be needing to earn his shield is Kirk Cousins, who arrived in Las Vegas this offseason. If the Raiders do select Fernando Mendoza, he will be the face of the franchise, which is why the team will handle his development with kid gloves and won’t push him out onto the field until the signal-caller is ready.
As a result, Las Vegas signed Cousins this offseason as a potential placeholder and veteran to show Mendoza the ropes. Despite the Raiders not yet making the decision, former NFL player Chad Johnson shared his thoughts on the looming Raiders situation.
“They’re going to pick Fernando Mendoza if you understand the game and understand that they are in need of a quarterback despite getting Kirk Cousins via trade, whatever it may have been,“ Johnson told Vegas Sports Today on April 16. “Obviously, Kirk Cousins is probably going to be the starter.
“I would think it would be smart for the development of Fernando Mendoza instead of just throwing him out there to the wolves. There are so many pieces that the Raiders need to be a competent team, especially offensively. Heck, even defensively, just getting the right pieces in order so he can have success.”
Fernando Mendoza Would Benefit From Sitting
Moreover, with so many of the great QBs needing to sit and learn from the sidelines, Johnson believes this is the best route for a young signal-caller, rather than putting him out on the field.
“I think it’s smart for him. Patrick Mahomes sat, Tom Brady sat, and I think the development of quarterbacks is one thing that is a lost gem when it comes to rookie quarterbacks,“ Johnson added.
“They just throw them out there: ‘Hey, you’re our savior.‘ And when you’re picked that early, it can do a lot to your psyche and your mental. When you put quarterbacks out there and you know you’re putting them in a situation that’s not to their advantage.”
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