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Fernando Mendoza makes first Raiders move after Kirk Cousins warning surfaces; ‘I do think…’
Kirk Cousins' old interview has surfaced as a warning to the Raiders' No 1 pick Fernando Mendoza
Fernando Mendoza was warned. The 22-year-old Heisman Trophy winner, who is expected to join the Las Vegas Raiders as the No 1 pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, might have to start his rookie season on the bench. This comes as veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins agreed to a five-year, $172 million contract with the team.
Now, a clip of Cousins' stance on rookie quarterbacks has emerged, and it is not something Mendoza will enjoy listening to. The former Vikings and Falcons QB had appeared with the Clark of This is Football! podcast only to say:“Well, I do think that there was a time when Aaron Rodgers got drafted and sat for three years. Carson Palmer got drafted and sat for a year. There have been teams that have said that was the plan, and then Week 4, 5, 6, the guys playing."
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“But the young guys you wanna give as much continuity as you can and just hasn’t been the environment many guys, including a Sam Darnold, have been given. When you’re asking a talented player to kind of rewire his brain and do something different, he’s not gonna be the same talented player because he’s gonna be a step slower and he’s gonna be learning and thinking again," the latest Raiders signing added.
To give you some context, Darnold was selected as the No 3 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft by the New York Jets. While his initial stint did not work out, the 28-year-old recently guided the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl win.
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“You wanna take that thinking out of it. The more you can be a Tom Brady or a Drew Brees, who’s been in the same system for 15 years, the better quarterback play you’re gonna get," Cousins said.
Fernando Mendoza makes first move
Meanwhile, ESPN insider Adam Schefter reported on Thursday that the Raiders will host Mendoza for a visit on Tuesday.
"Projected No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza is scheduled to visit Tuesday in Las Vegas with the Raiders, who hold the No. 1 overall pick," Schefter shared on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.
Kirk Cousins contract details
Cousins, 37, was released by the Atlanta Falcons after two disappointing seasons in which he was supplanted by young signal-caller Michael Penix Jr. The veteran is likely to find himself training in Las Vegas alongside another recent draftee, as the Raiders have first pick in this month's draft.
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Speaking at the NFL's annual league meeting this week, Kubiak said he would prefer Mendoza to initially learn from a veteran quarterback, rather than stepping immediately into an NFL starting role.
"In a perfect world he's watching a mature adult go and run an offense and run the team," said Kubiak.
"He might come in and have to play immediately, but you'd rather him learn before he gets in the game."
Cousins fits that bill, with ESPN reporting the four-time Pro Bowler will earn a guaranteed $20 million for the upcoming season, with a club option to extend the contract further.
(With AFP inputs)
