Raiders Name No. 1 Pick Fernando Mendoza Starter After Cousins Trade

Q: With Kirk Cousins traded, are the 4-5 Raiders secretly giving up on the playoffs to evaluate their future franchise quarterback?

Not exactly. The Raiders are pivoting to Fernando Mendoza because they believe he is ready, but the move also clearly serves a longer-term purpose. The facts point both ways. Las Vegas is only 4-5 and still mathematically in the AFC wild-card race, but its playoff odds are modest — around 12% by one public model — and it has lost five of its last six after a 3-0 start. Trading Kirk Cousins, who had thrown for 2,340 yards, 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions, removes the safer veteran option in the middle of a playoff chase. That is usually a sign a team is thinking beyond just this season. At the same time, the Raiders are not framing this as surrender. General manager John Spytek and coach Klint Kubiak both said the decision was driven by Mendoza’s progress in practice, command of the offense, and leadership. Mendoza was always viewed as the franchise quarterback of the future after going No. 1 overall, and the Raiders had planned to play Cousins only until the rookie proved ready. By their account, that point has arrived. The trade compensation matters too. Las Vegas got a 2027 third-round pick for a 38-year-old bridge quarterback it signed cheaply, while opening eight games for Mendoza’s evaluation. That is smart roster management, not necessarily waving the white flag. So the Raiders are not “secretly” giving up, but they are making a future-facing decision while still hoping Mendoza can keep them competitive now.

3 articles · Updated · NBC Sports · Nov 11

Fernando Mendoza will make his first NFL start Sunday against Seattle after Las Vegas moved Kirk Cousins and elevated the rookie to QB1.
Tuesday’s trade accelerated a plan the Raiders had hoped to delay, but GM John Spytek said it only happened because Mendoza had shown he was ready.
A 4-5 start let Las Vegas keep Cousins on the field longer, while Minnesota’s urgency after Monday night’s poor showing against Buffalo helped open the deal.
Coach Klint Kubiak said Mendoza exceeded expectations while learning behind Cousins, though his debut comes immediately against a tough Seahawks defense.
For the Raiders, the switch starts the era they envisioned when they made Mendoza the first overall pick and future face of the franchise.