The Las Vegas Raiders don’t exactly have high expectations for the 2026 campaign, but there are reasons for optimism surrounding this team. Perhaps the biggest of the bunch involves the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Fernando Mendoza, who was brought in to be the Raiders’ quarterback of the future.
And yet, while Las Vegas made a big commitment to Mendoza, it won’t be handing him the starting job right away, instead giving that to veteran free agent signing Kirk Cousins. The move has divided the Raiders’ fanbase, but one of the franchise’s legends, Rich Gannon, recently made his thoughts on the situation very clear.
Rich Gannon Weighs in on Kirk Cousins, Fernando Mendoza Situation
Mendoza certainly looked like the real deal during his lone season in college with the Indiana Hoosiers, as he threw for 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns in 16 games of action. That helped Mendoza win the 2025 Heisman Trophy, with Indiana going on to win a National Championship thanks to his strong play.
There’s no tried-and-true way to develop a quarterback in the NFL, though. Throwing a rookie into the fire can lead to mixed results, as we saw last season with guys like Cam Ward of the Tennessee Titans and J.J. McCarthy of the Minnesota Vikings. In recent years, when a young signal-caller has watched from behind the scenes early in their career, only to eventually take over under center, they have typically had more success.
With that in mind, Las Vegas went out and signed Cousins to what will essentially end up being a one-year, $20 million contract that is fully guaranteed. The plan is to start Cousins over Mendoza out of the gate, allowing the rookie to focus on his development in the early going. Some folks disagree with the Raiders’ plan for Mendoza, but Gannon is a big fan, in part because he believes Cousins is capable of doing big things within this offense.
“I wouldn’t put the kid out there either,” Gannon said, per casino.org. “I feel really good about Cousins and what he can do in this offense. Klint (Kubiak) doesn’t have to slow down the install or hold back anything, and Mendoza can learn as they go … Klint knows what he has in Cousins. And he knows what he’s doing. This isn’t new for him – he knows how to install and call plays and game plans. I think it’s going to be good on offense, I really do.”
Will Fernando Mendoza Take the Field for the Raiders in 2026?
GettyHENDERSON, NEVADA – JULY 29: Fernando Mendoza #15 of the Las Vegas Raiders looks to pass during the first practice of the team’s training camp at the Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters/Intermountain Health Performance Center on July 29, 2026 in Henderson, Nevada. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images)
Unless something drastic happens, Cousins is going to start the season under center for the Raiders. What happens once Week 1 gets underway, though, is as good as anyone’s guess. If Cousins plays well, the team will likely stick with him under center, but if he struggles, fans are going to quickly begin clamoring for Mendoza to take the field.
Again, there’s no timeline for this, as it will largely depend on how Cousins performs during his time on the field. It’s rare for a quarterback to play every single snap in all 17 games nowadays, though, so at some point, Mendoza will likely make his NFL debut in 2026. Cousins may be the starter for now, but it’s clear Las Vegas’ quarterback situation is going to be worth monitoring throughout the year.
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