The Las Vegas Raiders are happy with what they’ve seen from Fernando Mendoza this offseason, but there’s still a lingering issue with him. The No. 1 pick has yet to sign his contract.
It’s likely that Mendoza’s agents are holding out to see what the Los Angeles Rams do with Ty Simpson. While rookie contracts are fixed, the Raiders could choose to give Mendoza his signing bonus all at once or stagger it throughout the season. It would appear his agents are hoping to get it all at once.
Mendoza hasn’t spoken about the contract situation before, but he did have a chance to mention it when discussing possibly donating to Indiana.
“To be completely honest with you, not at the moment. I haven’t even signed my Raiders contract yet,” Mendoza told Front Office Sports. “I mean, (I’m) definitely going to consider it in the future. However, as of now, I’m trying to focus on Raiders football, and you know, I love to give back. Actually, I did give a donation to the University of Miami as their part in trying to fight MS. That’s a cause that’s a little bit more dear to my heart, to be completely honest, more than the transfer portal.
“So I was able to give back to them through the National MS Society. Just trying to focus on the Mendoza Family Fund, and putting all my resources and all my focus on my charitable actions at the current moment to fight MS, and hopefully one day find a cure.”
Mendoza Unlikely to Miss Practice
Mendoza will get his contract eventually, but it’s possible that this could linger into training camp. Some rookies may be willing to sit out of practice, but the young quarterback isn’t built like that.
He’s not going to miss practice if he’s healthy. That’ll make it difficult for his agents to find leverage, but it’s also hard to imagine the Raiders will fight them too hard on contract details. It would be wise for both sides to resolve this before training camp.
Raiders Being Patient With Mendoza
The Raiders also don’t seem to be in any rush to declare Mendoza as the starter. They signed Kirk Cousins in free agency, which gives them flexibility.
According to ESPN’s Ryan McFadden, the Raiders are going to bring Mendoza along as slowly as possible
“The Raiders have been patient with Mendoza’s adjustment to the next level, having him play mostly with the second and third teams during OTAs and minicamp,” McFadden wrote. “He has impressed many in the building with his work ethic, leadership qualities and ability to quickly find open targets for completions. At the same time, he’s had his fair share of growing pains, especially when playing under center, and mastering the footwork that comes with it. With veteran Kirk Cousins on the roster, the Raiders don’t feel like they need to rush Mendoza.”
If Mendoza outperforms Cousins in training camp, he will likely start, but the Raiders won’t be panicking if the rookie isn’t ready yet.
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