Tom Brady's Fernando Mendoza plans take a hit; Kirk Cousins likely to start for Raiders

Tom Brady and the Las Vegas Raiders are prepping for the arrival of Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza. However, a Kirk Cousins factor is now in play

Published on: Apr 02, 2026 8:46 PM IST

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Tom Brady and the Las Vegas Raiders are prepping for the arrival of Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza, who is expected to be drafted at No 1 on April 23. However, head coach Klint Kubiak also has a plan B - Kirk Cousins. On Thursday, the veteran quarterback's agent confirmed that the 37-year-old has agreed to a contract with the Raiders. Is is good news? Well, not for Mendoza.

Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza are expected to lead the Raiders' QB room in 2026 (AFP and AP)

With the deal, Cousins will reunite with Kubiak, who was his position coach and offensive coordinator with the Minnesota Vikings from 2019-21.

Why Kirk Cousins joining Raiders is good and bad news for Fernando Mendoza

Cousins potentially could serve as a mentor for Heisman Trophy winner Mendoza, widely expected to be Raiders' top target in the 2026 Draft. The only quarterback on the team's current roster is Aidan O'Connell, a 2023 fourth-round pick who started 17 games from 2023-24 (7-10 record).

However, it is very much a possibility that Cousins will start for the Raiders. If he does well, Mendoza could be pushed to the bench in his rookie season. And the former Vikings and Falcons QB's special connection with the head coach only works in his favor.

“Ideally, you don't want [a rookie QB] to start from Day 1. You'd love for him to learn behind somebody. That's a perfect world. It doesn't always work out that way,” Kubiak had said about the QB position recently.

Cousins was released by the Atlanta Falcons on March 11, two years into a four-year, $180 million deal he signed with the club in March 2024.

Cousins struggled down the stretch during his first season with the Falcons in 2024, throwing 18 touchdowns to 16 interceptions and losing the starting job to rookie Michael Penix Jr. He played better when he stepped in for Penix after the latter's season-ending injury last November, throwing for 1,721 yards, 10 TDs and five picks in eight starts.

Over 174 games (167 starts) in 14 seasons, Cousins has completed 66.7% of his passes for 44,700 yards with 298 TDs and 131 interceptions.

(With inputs from Reuters)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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