Raiders Next Step for QB Room is Clear

The Las Vegas Raiders have now made it official with new quarterback Kirk Cousins. The veteran quarterback is now officially a Raider, and he will be the guy under center next season, while they develop their rookie quarterback. That rookie quarterback is expected to be Fernando Mendoza out of Indiana University. Mendoza is expected to be the first overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft in a couple of weeks by the Silver and Black.

Raiders Make it Official with Kirk Cousins

The Las Vegas Raiders have signed unrestricted free agent QB Kirk Cousins, the club announced Monday.

Jan 4, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) passes the ball against the New Orleans Saints during the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Cousins enters his 15th season in the NFL and joins the Raiders after spending the past two seasons with the Atlanta Falcons (2024-25). He originally entered the league as a fourth-round pick by Washington in the 2012 draft and spent six years with the club (2012-17) before signing with the Minnesota Vikings for six seasons (2018-23).

Cousins comes to the Raiders after spending the last two seasons with the Atlanta Falcons. Cousins has been a solid quarterback for much of his career, and his leadership is something the Raiders looked at and said they could use much of in the most important position in the NFL. Cousins brings a lot to a team that has been searching for a true leader at the quarterback position, both on and off the field. He is a pro and knows how to lead a team that has not played well over the years.

Dec 29, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) celebrates after a victory over the Los Angeles Rams at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Cousins also knows new head coach Klint Kubiak well and knows his offense the best. That has a lot to do with the Raiders signing Cousins because it is always hard to have a new head coach and a new quarterback. But in this case, they are both new, but they both know what to expect from each other, and knowing how to run the Kubiak offense will make the Raiders better next season. Cousins will have everyone in place, and that will be huge in the offseason when the rest are learning.

The biggest thing about bringing in Cousins is for him to be the bridge guy as they are developing Mendoza next season. Cousins knows that, and he will be a mentor to Mendoza and one of the biggest parts of his development. That is something Cousins is going to enjoy doing. Mendoza is going to learn a lot from Cousins. The Raiders did not want to just throw the rookie into the fire next season.

Dec 11, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) throws a pass and offensive tackle Jake Matthews (70) blocks against Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Yaya Diaby (0) during the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images