Why Raiders' Cousins Has Something To Prove This Season

The Las Vegas Raiders may not have the same expectations as last offseason, but that doesn't mean they can repeat their 2025 results. At the bare minimum, this team is expected to be competent.

Their schedule is tough, so we'll see if that translates into wins, but with Klint Kubiak as their head coach, their production on offense should improve. Which of their players is facing the most pressure next season?

Kirk Cousins Still Starting-Caliber QB

Las Vegas Raiders QB Kirk Cousins | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

Kirk Cousins just turned 38 years old and will enter the 2026 regular season as the Raiders' starting quarterback. The Raiders will be the fourth team Cousins suits up for, but who knows how long he'll be the starter for them, with another young quarterback waiting in the wings.

Fernando Mendoza is the future of this franchise, and I can see Cousins playing in the Silver and Black throughout the course of his contract. Unless he retires after his stint with the Raiders, there will still be teams interested in his services. Whether that's as a backup or another bridge veteran quarterback depends on how well he plays next season.

Familiarity

Kirk Cousins, Tyler Linderbaum | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

This isn't the first time Cousins has worked with Kubiak either. He worked with him closely when he was the quarterback coach for the Minnesota Vikings in 2019. Those were some of the best seasons of Cousins' career, and once again, the Raiders are hoping this quarterback-and-head-coach reunion leads them to success.

The biggest difference between this reunion and last season's is that Kubiak is much more of an offensive mind than Pete Carroll was in the tail end of his career. We saw how Cousins could fit in this offense in the preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals.

Kirk Cousins to Michael Mayer! Raiders score on their opening drive!

Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/d0IuH5LYG8
— NFL (@NFL) August 14, 2026

Cousins was decisive with the throws he was attempting and making. His time with the Falcons wasn't as spectacular as it could've been due to how quickly he succumbed to pressure in the pocket, and that wasn't present in his preseason reps with the Raiders.

It's just the preseason, so we'll have to see if that holds up in the regular season. In the meantime, this looks like an amazing signing by the Raiders, and Cousins has the pressure to keep that up. After all, he's one of the biggest career earners in the sport, and he can maintain that reputation with a successful season throwing the ball in the Silver and Black.

Kirk Cousins | DARRELL DRAIG HARRIS, ON SI

Cousins didn't play in their preseason victory over the Houston Texans; we'll have to see if Kubiak elects to play the starters in their final preseason contest against the San Francisco 49ers.

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