Kirk Cousins Shows Support for Fernando Mendoza Amid NFL Draft Rumors After Raiders Contract

The Las Vegas Raiders are widely expected to draft Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the top overall pick, and Kirk Cousins is prepared to be his backup if the team goes in that direction.

"I honestly don't want to start unless I'm the best option, and I told [head coach Klint Kubiak] that," he told reporters. "The best player should play. As long as that's the case, I have no qualms about however it plays out. I do think Fernando is going to be a great addition to our team. I think he's going to have a great future in our league. I have no problem being a voice in the room to help him to the degree I can. He's going to have great support around him with the coaching staff, but to be able to watch a veteran quarterback go through his habits and routines and process, that can be a great asset for him. He was here yesterday on his draft day visit. We were able to watch film together. I think he'll be a great addition to the room."

The Raiders signed Cousins to a five-year, $172 million deal this offseason, though only $20 million in 2026 is fully guaranteed, essentially making it a one-year pact. The Raiders have indicated publicly that they don't necessarily want to throw a rookie right into the fire, so Cousins likely will see playing time in 2026.

"Ideally, you don't want [a rookie quarterback] to start Day 1," Kubiak told reporters last week. "You'd love him to be able to learn behind somebody. That's in a perfect world. It doesn't always work out that way. Sometimes they have to play from Day 1, and it's our job as a coach to get them ready to go. I think it does help the player, though, if they can sit behind a mature adult and watch how they run the show."

It certainly sounds like Cousins was signed to be that mature adult.