'Really Competitive Room.' Breaking Down Raiders' QB Debacle

The Las Vegas Raiders quarterback room is filled with Big Ten quarterbacks, and they are all looking to make their mark.

May 2, 2026; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) runs through a drill during a Rookie Minicamp at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images | Candice Ward-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders have one of the most interesting quarterback rooms going into next season. The biggest question is who will be the starter in 2026.

The clear plan is for the top overall pick, Fernando Mendoza, to sit back and learn the system while developing his game further at the NFL level. Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins is going to take the snap as the starter right now, but we will have to wait and see how it plays out all summer long.

Klint Kubiak | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

General Manager John Spytek came out and said the best man will win the starting job. You also cannot forget about fourth-year quarterback Aidan O'Connell, who has started at the NFL level and has experience with the Raiders. Something all three quarterbacks have in common is that they played college ball in the Big Ten. That is one quarterback room that has a lot of good football IQ.

There is going to be a lot of competition going on in that room all summer long, and that is going to be a good thing for this Raiders offense going into next season. All three quarterbacks want to leave their mark and make their case why they should be the starter. They are all going to make each other better and going to learn from one another. It is a positive for the Raiders to have, as it is a mixed group that this franchise believes in.

John Spytek | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

Raiders Quarterback Room Is a Good One

"I think the great thing that John Spytek did was just add a really competitive room," said Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak on the "Raiders Podcast Network." "Those are three excellent players right there. And we are going to coach our tail off. No matter what, they always bring the best out of each other. So when it is a competitive room, it is a good thing."

Kubiak is ready to go see these quarterbacks compete and do their jobs. Kubiak and his coaching staff are going to give each quarterback a lot of reps and let them go to work. He is impressed by each quarterback he has, and it will come down to what they do on the field against the defense, which is also much improved going into next season.

Las Vegas Raiders minority owner Tom Brady | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

We will get our answer as we get close to the start of the 2026 NFL season, but it's far from certain.