The NFL preseason slate has concluded, and roster cuts are looming. NFL teams have until 6 p.m. ET on Sunday night to trim their rosters for Week 1 down to 53 players.
As the No. 1 overall pick in April's NFL Draft, Fernando Mendoza doesn't need to worry about sweating roster cuts for the Raiders. He will 100% be on the team. But what will his status on Las Vegas' depth chart be? Will he be the Week 1 starter? Or will he be backing up Kirk Cousins?
An answer is right around the corner, and it may not be the one Mendoza or Indiana football fans were hoping for.
Raiders nearing QB decision with Kirk Cousins as the frontrunner
Shortly after drafting Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick, Las Vegas signed veteran QB Kirk Cousins. Throughout the course of his 14-year NFL career, Cousins has seen a little bit of everything. He's appeared in 174 games and has thrown for 44,700 yards and 298 touchdowns. His veteran leadership makes him an ideal mentor for Mendoza as the former Hoosier begins his NFL career.
But from the minute Cousins signed with Las Vegas, fans have wondered whether he would serve as Mendoza’s mentor while holding down the QB1 role or eventually hand the reins over to the rookie. At this point, it's looking increasingly more and more likely that Cousins will be the starter—at least to begin the season.
According to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports, the Raiders are expected to name Kirk Cousins' as their Week 1 starting quarterback. The move doesn't necessarily come as a surprise, as Raiders GM John Spytek stated early in the offseason that he wasn't entirely in favor of handing the keys over to a rookie QB right from the jump.
Mendoza had some strong flashes in the preseason, but his overall numbers weren't other-worldly. Appearing in all three of Las Vegas' preseason games, Mendoza completed 25 of his 45 pass attempts (55% completion percentage) for 240 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions, one of which was a pick-6.
Fernando Mendoza is still Las Vegas' QB of the future
Cousins spent the last two seasons with the Falcons, but it was a forgettable tenure. He threw 16 interceptions in 14 games in 2024 and then played in just 10 games last season. But just because Cousins is slated to be the Week 1 starter doesn't mean that Las Vegas has changed its belief in Mendoza moving forward.
The Raiders clearly still view Mendoza as the integral part of their future. Head coach Klint Kubiak has been singing Mendoza's praises throughout the offseason, and has been impressed with what the rookie has brought to the table. It's only a matter of time before he sees time as the starter, and there's a solid chance that happens at some point this season.
As Indiana fans know, Mendoza won't let this minor setback keep him down. Mendoza is known for elite intangibles off the field, which includes a strong work ethic, extreme dedication to preparation, and a team-first mentality. It's clear he still has some work to do, and he should be expected to do all that he can to improve and be the best that he can be moving forward.
Las Vegas' season opener is slated for Sunday, September 13 against the Dolphins.
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