There are many new faces on the Las Vegas Raiders this season, including likely starting quarterback Kirk Cousins. There’s a lot of attention being given to the team’s wide receiver room right now.
There isn’t a definitive No.1 option on the roster. The closest would be tight end Brock Bowers. What would be huge for the Raiders is if a couple of draft picks from last year stepped up.
Jack Bech was a second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, but didn’t have much of a role as a rookie. He didn’t have an overly impressive OTAs, and there have been questions about whether or not he’ll develop into an impact player.
The good news for him is that he’s already made a strong impression on Cousins. The quarterback singled him out as a player who has impressed him.
“(I) really like Jack’s game,” Cousins said to the media. “I think he’s got really strong hands; he’s a great teammate.”
What has made Bech stand out to Cousins is that he’s really established himself as a great teammate.
“When I talk about kind of the locker room at-large, Jack would be one of those guys I would say is that,” Cousins said. “He’s just a great person, a hard worker, [and] he wants to do it right. I see a lot of ability there.”
Fernando Mendoza Learning A Lot From Cousins
Cousins knows he’s not the quarterback of the future for the Raiders. He doesn’t have guaranteed money past this season, and the team used the No. 1 pick on Fernando Mendoza.
While many will be eager to see the rookie player, the Raiders want to bring him along slowly, which is why they signed Cousins. So far, Mendoza has been learning a lot from the veterans on the team.
“I’ve learned a lot, especially from the coaches and the quarterbacks in the room,” Mendoza told reporters. “The way that Kirk and Aidan [O’Connell], the intellect that they have, especially Kirk, the way that he diagrams and draws out plays and sorts them in different groups, whether it’s play actions, bad hot plays, three by one level concepts, whatever it is.
“The way he groups them, and you see the Kubiak system, which is a fantastic system, mold together. It gave me a better understanding, and I know the other rookies better understanding of the why behind the offense. Why run this play? And we’re complementing it with this.”
Mendoza Being Follower Right Now
There will be a time when Mendoza is asked to be the leader of the team, but he doesn’t have to be that right now. He’s really focused on learning what it takes to be a high-level professional football player.
“I’m taking a following role right now,” Mendoza said. “I’m just trying to do my part and focus on the next rep and do everything I possibly can to prepare myself to be the best asset I can for my team. Whatever decision is made at the end, that’s fantastic. I’m all for it. I just want the team to win, so that’s where I’m at.”
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