Kirk Cousins and first-overall pick Fernando Mendoza are battling for the top spot on the Las Vegas Raiders depth chart, and nobody knows for sure who will start in Week 1. While nobody denies that Mendoza will have every opportunity to be the team’s quarterback of the future, he may not be the quarterback of the present. Cousins has yet to recover his pre-Achilles-tear form, but the former fourth-round pick boasts years of experience and showed some signs of life with the Atlanta Falcons during the back half of the season.
While a lot can happen between now and the start of the regular season, it appears as though Kirk Cousins is the heavy favorite to be the Week 1 starting quarterback. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the longtime veteran is “well-positioned” to open the season under center, while Mendoza will likely start his career on the bench.
Kirk Cousins Likely to Be Raiders Week 1 Quarterback
While nobody would confuse him with a Hall of Famer, Kirk Cousins has one of the most interesting NFL journeys in recent memory. Originally selected three rounds after second-overall pick Robert Griffin III, the Michigan State product eventually won Washington’s starting quarterback job and looked like a borderline franchise quarterback. Ultimately, the team wouldn’t make a long-term commitment to the passer, and Cousins signed with the Minnesota Vikings in 2018. After six years there, he signed another massive deal with the Atlanta Falcons before losing the starting job to 2024 first-round pick Michael Penix.
Now, he has signed what is functionally a one-year deal with the Raiders to mentor Fernando Mendoza and ensure the team has at least one competent option under center if the rookie needs time to develop. For what it’s worth, Cousins played well last year and can likely keep the ship afloat if forced to start for an extended period. Taking over for an injured Penix, Kirk Cousins finished the 2025 season with a 5-3 record while completing 61.7% of his passes for 1,721 yards, 10 touchdowns, five interceptions, and a 76.0 PFF grade, the 16th-best mark in the league.
He’s no superstar, but Kirk Cousins is an adequate starter who can keep this team competitive. While some Raiders fans may want to see Fernando Mendoza as soon as possible, they shouldn’t take this news as an indictment on his future.
Developing A Quarterback
While it isn’t as common as it used to be, it’s not uncommon for a highly-drafted quarterback to begin their career on the bench. The most recent example is third-overall pick Drake Maye, who began his career behind veteran Jacoby Brissett. While Brissett began the 2024 season under center, Maye won the starting job after four weeks and was perhaps the only bright spot on a terrible Patriots team. After his promising rookie season, the quarterback broke out under head coach Mike Vrabel, finishing second in the MVP voting while helping guide his team to the Super Bowl.
It should go without saying that Fernando Mendoza probably won’t experience this same level of success just because of Kirk Cousins. However, it is worth noting that he’s the only first-overall pick in recent memory to have an actual competition to start. 2024 first-overall pick Caleb Williams and 2025 first-overall pick Cam Ward were both given the keys to the kingdom right out of the gate, and both players struggled as rookies.
Ultimately, Fernando Mendoza is more talented than the present-day version of Kirk Cousins and will eventually win the starting job. With that being said, Cousins’ presence ensures Mendoza won’t see action before he’s ready to handle life in the NFL. Chances are, Cousins will start the first month or two of the season before handing the keys over to the youngster.
