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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Raiders' Fernando Mendoza: Kubiak declines to name Week 1 starter
Las Vegas Raiders coach Klint Kubiak indicated Thursday that he is not yet ready to name a starting quarterback (between Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza) ahead of Week 1, Ryan McFadden of ESPN reports.On that subject, Kubiak noted "we got another week. I don't want anyone to be comfortable in their job...it should always be that way for all positions. So, let's keep going." To this point, the signs have been pointing to Cousins opening the regular season as the starter, and he was among his team's key players who watched Thursday's preseason game against the Texans from the sidelines. Meanwhile, Mendoza played the entire first half of the contest, completing eight of 15 passes for 86 yards and an interception on five drives. It remains to be seen when Kubiak will announce the Raiders' starting signal-caller, but given where Mendoza was drafted, it's assumed that the Indiana product will rise to the top of the Raiders' depth chart eventually, though that ascent seems likely to follow a stint as Cousins' understudy.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Raiders' Fernando Mendoza: Tosses pick-six in first start
Fernando Mendoza completed eight of 15 passes for 86 yards, no touchdowns and one interception in Thursday's 22-20 preseason win over the Texans.Mendoza made his first start at the NFL level and played the first half, but it wasn't a pretty outing for the rookie first overall pick in his second preseason game. The Las Vegas Raiders were outscored 20-3 during his time in the game, and his first drive ended in an 80-yard pick-six. Mendoza failed to close the gap between himself and Kirk Cousins, who started Vegas' preseason opener and remains the favorite to start for the team Week 1. This poor outing from Mendoza shows why the Raiders' brass would rather let him adjust to the NFL from a backup role to begin his career.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Raiders' Fernando Mendoza: In line to see first-half action Thursday
Fernando Mendoza is expected to play the first half of Thursday's preseason game against the Texans, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.Mendoza will start Thursday and play roughly half the game, after which point Aidan O'Connell is scheduled to come in. This will be Mendoza's first start at the professional level, as Kirk Cousins started the preseason opener against Arizona before Mendoza threw for 97 yards and a touchdown in relief. Cousins remains the favorite to begin the regular season as the starter over the rookie first overall pick.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Raiders' Fernando Mendoza: Gets reps with first-team offense
Fernando Mendoza worked with the first-team offense in Tuesday's joint practice with the Texans, Sam Warren of The Athletic reports.While Kirk Cousins got his normal reps with the ones Tuesday, coach Klint Kubiak kept the starters out there so Mendoza could also get some work in with the starting offense as well. It was the first time this summer that the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft has worked with the first-string unit. The practice reps come after Mendoza had a strong preseason debut last Thursday, completing 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown versus Arizona. Cousins has done nothing to lose his grip on the QB1 gig in Las Vegas, but Mendoza is still a good bet to make starts before his rookie season is over.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Raiders' Fernando Mendoza: Tosses TD in preseason opener
Fernando Mendoza completed 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions and rushed twice for six yards in the Las Vegas Raiders' 27-14 preseason loss to the Cardinals on Thursday.The highly anticipated professional debut of the No. 1 overall pick officially began on the Raiders' second possession after projected starter Kirk Cousins led Las Vegas to a touchdown on the opening drive. Mendoza's first completion went to Jack Bech for nine yards, and he had a subsequent five-yard connection with fellow rookie Mike Washington wiped out by a holding penalty. Mendoza appeared much more comfortable the second time he had the ball, leading the Raiders on a 10-play, 79-yard march that included a 19-yard completion to Malik Benson and was capped off with a six-yard touchdown pass to Bech. Mendoza played into the fourth quarter and had a solid night overall, but Greg Auman of FOX Sports reports head coach Klint Kubiak said after the game it's still Cousins "job to lose" in terms of the Week 1 starting role.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Raiders' Fernando Mendoza: Should get plenty of reps
Las Vegas Raiders coach Klint Kubiak said Tuesday that Fernando Mendoza will play in Thursday's preseason opener against Arizona and may even get a few snaps with the starting offensive line, Ryan McFadden of ESPN.com reports.It sounds like Kirk Cousins will make the start, but Mendoza could enter the game fairly early on, and he's expected to play a lot this preseason (if not necessarily Thursday night). Kubiak hasn't announced his Week 1 starter, but Cousins has been treated as the starter throughout training camp.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Raiders' Fernando Mendoza: Back with second team Monday
Fernando Mendoza returned to working with the Las Vegas Raiders' second-team offense at Monday's practice, Ryan McFadden of ESPN.com reports.With Kirk Cousins not participating in the team period of Saturday's session due to his scuffle with teammate Maxx Crosby during Friday's practice, Mendoza took first-team reps in place of the veteran signal-caller. However, on Monday, Cousins was back in business and had his best performance of training camp to date, per McFadden. As the regular season approaches, Cousins continues to trend toward drawing the start in Week 1, but beyond that, given that Mendoza was the top overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, it will be only a matter of time before he gets his chance to lead the Raiders offense for good.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Raiders' Fernando Mendoza: Behind Cousins as camp opens
Coach Klint Kubiak announced Tuesday that Kirk Cousins will begin training camp as the Las Vegas Raiders' starting quarterback ahead of Fernando Mendoza and Aidan O'Connell, Ryan McFadden of ESPN reports."When we go out to practice (on Wednesday), Kirk Cousins is the starting quarterback," Kubiak said. "He's the guy, and he deserves it because he's played really good football. But I want Fernando and Aidan (O'Connell) to push him." The decision isn't surprising, given that Cousins logged the majority of the first-team reps during Las Vegas' offseason program and looked "excellent" in the process, per Kubiak. While Cousins currently has the upper hand, Mendoza -- the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft -- could still push for the Week 1 start if he performs well during training camp and the preseason.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Raiders' Fernando Mendoza: Signs contract with Raiders
Fernando Mendoza signed his rookie contract with the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday.Mendoza's deal is for four years, with a fifth-year team option, as is standard for first-round picks. The 2026 first overall pick has $52.72 million of guaranteed money on his deal, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Veteran Kirk Cousins is reportedly the favorite to begin the regular season as the Raiders' starter under center, but those plans could change depending on how Mendoza looks during training camp and the preseason.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Raiders' Fernando Mendoza: Works behind veteran QBs in OTAs
During Wednesday's OTA, Fernando Mendoza worked behind Kirk Cousins and Aidan O'Connell and mostly with rookies during competitive periods of the session, per Sam Warren of The Athletic.The report notes that Cousins took all of the first-team reps Wednesday and was followed by O'Connell and Mendoza, in that order. At this stage, the Las Vegas Raiders have yet to outline plans on when a starter will be named, with GM John Spytek having said, "The best guy will play." That said, with both Spytek and coach Klint Kubiak having previously expressed their inclination to not play a young quarterback right away, Warren and Ryan McFadden of ESPN.com suggest that Cousins is trending toward starting Week 1, citing the veteran signal-caller's ample professional experience, as well as his familiarity with Kubiak's offense. While the Raiders are intentionally easing Mendoza -- the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft -- into the mix, Kubiak has nonetheless been pleased with what he's seen from the highly-touted the rookie so far. "He's as advertised," Kubiak said Wednesday. "He has not disappointed." Given where Mendoza was drafted, it's assumed that the Indiana product will rise to the top of the Raiders' depth chart eventually, but he could begin his pro career, for a time, as Cousins' understudy. However, there's still runway for Mendoza to change the narrative on that front in the coming months, with Kubiak noting Wednesday of the team's QB pecking order, "It's gonna reveal itself, especially in training camp."
Fernando Mendoza
#15 QB / Las Vegas Raiders / EXP: 0YRS Height: 6-5 Weight: 236 lb Age: 22 College: Indiana Bye 13- Rost
- 11%
- Start
- 1%
- QB Rank
- 31