Raiders Don't Have To Look Far for Potential Mendoza Blueprint

The Las Vegas Raiders have a clear plan for rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza. As much as the Raiders have longed for a competent, long-term answer at quarterback, Las Vegas' front office refuses to rush Mendoza onto the field too early in his career.

Keeping Fernando Mendoza on Schedule

In the immediate, the Raiders' plans for Mendoza mainly center around him learning the ropes while veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins leads the way to start the 2026 season. However, the front office's development plan for Mendoza started before he was even drafted.

With Mendoza's eventual arrival in Las Vegas all but a foregone conclusion, Mendoza partnered with former quarterback Brian Griese ahead of the draft. Mendoza was able to get a crash course on the offense he will run under Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak.

"It has, and I'm going to give a big thanks to him. And the offensive line here in the rookie camp has been phenomenal. We've gotten extra work with all the centers and the quarterbacks the past two days. Everybody really wants to work, and it's a great feeling,” Mendoza said about his time with Griese.

“I mean, the other quarterbacks are really in tune, but I need more work under center, and it's great when we can be in the hotel getting 25 to 50 snaps each last night and the night before day one, and to really get that timing. I still have a long way to go, but those centers are phenomenal, consistent snaps, and the offensive line did a great job."

Raiders' Potential Blueprint

The excitement that has arrived with Mendoza is hard to miss. Still, Las Vegas' front office is banking on their coaching staff, Mendoza's natural ability, his time with Griese, and additional time to develop throughout the 2026 regular season to pay off for the rookie quarterback.

Las Vegas' front office and coaching staff have been fairly transparent this offseason. They were open and honest with pretty much every move they made, from their offseason saga with Maxx Crosby to their addition of Cousins shortly before the draft.

Yet neither the front office nor Kubiak has publicly named a definitive date in 2026 for when Mendoza will start. This allows the Raiders to give Mendoza as much time as they, and only they, feel is right before naming him their starter. Naming Mendoza the starter is a big deal.

Once the Raiders name Mendoza the starting quarterback, they are all but guaranteed to ride things out with their franchise quarterback. With that being the case, Las Vegas may as well give Mendoza as many weeks as possible to develop in the background during a season with few expectations.

Each passing week of the 2026 regular season that Mendoza does not start will positively impact the Raiders down the road. Considering they won three games last season, there is no need to hurry Mendoza onto the field right away. Conversely, they can look right within the division for a timeframe.

The 2026 Raiders are in a very different position from the Kansas City Chiefs when they drafted Patrick Mahomes, but the Chiefs did have a proven, comparable veteran quarterback in Alex Smith. The Raiders' version of Smith would be Cousins. Smith and Cousins are similar in several regards.

This is in no way a comparison of Mahomes to a rookie quarterback who has yet to play a single play in the National Football League. The only thing they have in common at this point is that they both play quarterback, wear jersey number 15, and play in the AFC West.

Still, Las Vegas' front office would be well within its rights not to start Mendoza at all this season, as Mahomes did not start a game in his rookie season. Maybe by doing so, or not starting Mendoza until late in the season, it will one day be fair to compare Mahomes and Mendoza.

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