Why Raiders’ Patient Mendoza Blueprint Is Masterclass Move

The Las Vegas Raiders were blessed with the No. 1 overall pick after only winning three games last season. If they were going to lose to this magnitude, last season was the one to do it, as there was a clear top guy in the draft class.

Fernando Mendoza enters the NFL with an impressive resume behind him, including a Heisman Trophy and leading the Indiana Hoosiers to an undefeated season and national title. He will be the quarterback of the future for the Raiders, but are there reasons why they should be considering him to start right away?

The Argument

"I think you put him on the field Day 1."

Doug Pederson thinks the Raiders should start Fernando Mendoza at QB Week 1. pic.twitter.com/dfjB8Emd9e
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) July 13, 2026

Doug Pederson once led the Philadelphia Eagles to an improbable win over the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl, so his word should hold some weight. There was a time when I shared the same viewpoint as Pederson and thought it'd harm Mendoza's development if he were on the bench.

The best way for rookie quarterbacks to learn the ins and outs of NFL-caliber football is for them to actually be on the field. It does Mendoza no good to see someone else throw an interception, whereas if he were to make that mistake, he could learn from it in an actual game.

Why It’s a Good Thing

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

It's for this reason that I was initially not a fan of their decision to sign Kirk Cousins. However, this long offseason has given me time to reflect, and the Raiders are putting their best foot forward by not rushing Mendoza out on the field right away.

The last thing the Raiders want is for Mendoza to develop bad habits on the field and permanently alter his development. He is their future. They invested their future success in him, and we've seen promising prospects come into the NFL, but their confidence never recovered after a bad rookie season.

Fernando Mendoza | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

One of Mendoza's best traits is his ability to stay composed, but the NFL plays at a different level mentally than college. The Raiders did get an improved supporting cast, so I'm not opposed to him starting somewhere down the line in his rookie season.

I just think it'd be better for him to start his career on the bench and see what things are like behind the scenes, before he's given the reins to their offense on the field. The Raiders also have one of the best supporting casts for a rookie quarterback, with Tom Brady as a minority owner.

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