Raiders' Kirk Cousins given bizarre praise amid Fernando Mendoza dilemma
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Raiders' Kirk Cousins given bizarre praise amid Fernando Mendoza dilemma originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Las Vegas Raiders have a fascinating quarterback situation on their hands.
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Fernando Mendoza was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft out of Indiana. He's expected to be the face of the franchise and the long-term answer at QB for the Raiders.
But when Week 1 arrives, Mendoza might not start.
At least right now, the Raiders are lining up to have Kirk Cousins be the starter until Mendoza is deemed "ready."
And with that in mind, new Vegas head coach Klint Kubiak had some praise to give Cousins this week.
The only odd part is the way Kubiak actually delivered it.
First, this is what Kubiak told reporters:
“If you watch Kirk play his last four games in Atlanta, you saw what he can do. He’s getting healthier. He’s played really good football for us this time of year. And we’re counting on him come the season.”
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Now think about it -- Kubiak decided he needed to say that Cousins has "played really good football for us this time of year."
Meaning, June?
June, as nobody realized, is a crucial month in the NFL calendar.
In reality, what does it matter what a long-time NFL veteran does in June? The Raiders aren't going to learn a ton new about Cousins. If he's starting, they'll simply want him to look like the QB he has been for a long time.
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It's much more important for the Raiders to see Mendoza starting to hit his stride "this time of year," because he's never been in the NFL before now.
Eventually, the Raiders will then have to decide if Mendoza is ready for being an NFL quarterback when the real action comes around.
For now, Cousins appears in the lead to at least keep the seat warm.
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