This offseason, Kirk Cousins is going to get the first crack at the Las Vegas Raiders‘ starting quarterback job. However, it won’t be easy to hold onto with No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza also gunning for the job.
Mendoza is a much better athlete at his age. He’s likely going to bring a lot more to the quarterback position. The way that Cousins can win the starting job is by showing that he understands Klint Kubiak’s offense at a much higher level.
So far, that’s what he’s showing. According to Raider Nation Radio’s Q Myers, Cousins has looked good in OTAs and still has a strong understanding of the offense.
“I don’t see where they have to all of a sudden go ahead and throw him in there Week 1,” Myers said on the “Locked on Raiders Squad Show” podcast.
“Obviously, he’s going to play at some point, [but] they brought in Kirk Cousins for a reason, and I will tell you from what I’m seeing at OTA is very early on, Kirk Cousins has very good command of this offense. He has very good command of the huddle, He’s able to line guys up when they’re not in the right spot, he’s able to put them in the right spot. So there’s a lot of things that that veteran quarterback is going to be able to do and continue to teach Fernando Mendoza without ever teaching him anything.”
Some Still Think Mendoza Will Start Week 1
Cousins was always going to have a head start on the starting job. He has worked with Kubiak in the past and knows his offense well. He also has over a decade of starting experience at the NFL level.
At the same time, Mendoza was the No. 1 pick, and Cousins is going to be 38 when the season starts. It’s going to be very difficult for him to outshine Mendzoa from a physical standpoint.
ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry isn’t buying that Cousins will start in Week 1.
“The Raiders selected Mendoza with the No. 1 pick with the mindset that the Heisman Trophy-winning QB would arrive in Las Vegas and learn at the elbow of veteran Kirk Cousins, whom they signed in free agency,” Thiry wrote. “Coach Klint Kubiak has said ideally, he would not want a rookie starting from day one, but look for Mendoza to expedite the process.”
What Should Raiders Do?
The Raiders aren’t likely to compete for the Super Bowl this season, regardless of who starts at quarterback. The roster still needs a lot of work, and Kubiak needs time to grow into the head coaching job.
That will allow the team to think about the big picture. If the offensive line is a mess and the wide receivers aren’t good enough to get open consistently, the Raiders might want to throw Cousins to the wolves to start the season.
The Raiders can’t do anything that could potentially hurt Mendoza’s development. Now, if the team is further along than expected, then it could make sense to start the rookie. It’s simply too early in the offseason to know which way the wind is blowing.
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