The Las Vegas Raiders moved on from Geno Smith earlier in the offseason, and the team is expected to select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick. However, they wanted to pair the rookie with a veteran, so they signed Kirk Cousins.
He’s likely going to be looked at as the team’s starting quarterback until Mendoza can prove that he deserves the role. Defensive end Maxx Crosby thought he was going to be playing elsewhere this season, but it appears he has rescinded any trade requests after the Baltimore Ravens backed out of the deal to land him.
Crosby has been participating in the Raiders’ offseason program and appears all-in on the team heading into the 2026 season. Crosby is usually very vocal about moves the team makes, and finally gave his thoughts on Cousins joining the Raiders.
“Ran into Kirko Bangs walking through the building, which was dope,” Crosby said on “The Rush.” “We had a great conversation, he was awesome, definitely fired me up. … Dude has done a lot of great things in this league, and adding him to the squad is gonna help a lot. We definitely have more pieces coming as well.”
Cousins Wants to Earn Starting Job
Cousins likely has a bit of an advantage over Mendoza when it comes to the quarterback competition. Yes, Mendoza is the likely No. 1 pick, which means fans are going to want to see him play as soon as possible.
There will be a lot of pressure to put him on the field. However, Cousins knows Klint Kubiak’s system, and the Raiders have said they aren’t eager to start a rookie. Regardless, Cousins only wants to be the starter if he earns the job.
“I honestly don’t want to start unless I’m the best option, and I told Klint that,” Cousins told reporters during his introductory press conference. “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.”
2026 Has to Be About Developing Young Talent
The Raiders likely aren’t too concerned with winning a bunch of games in 2026. This roster isn’t close to competing for a Super Bowl yet.
This season needs to be all about developing the young talent, especially Mendoza. It’s possible that letting Cousins be the starting quarterback at the beginning of the season is the best long-term move for Mendoza’s development.
Now, he should probably start at some point during the season. If the Raiders are losing a lot of games, it doesn’t make sense to keep putting Cousins out there.
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