Las Vegas Raiders RB Mike Washington Jr. has "earned more opportunities" moving forward but still needs to mature as a player, according to head coach Klint Kubiak.
SOURCE: Paul Gutierrez - Raiders.com
Why it Matters: Washington had a strong preseason, and the rookie looks ready to contribute if the opportunity arises. While it remains to be seen if he can carve out value while playing behind Ashton Jeanty, Washington has become a must-own handcuff and a starting option if Jeanty were to miss time.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mike Washington Jr. praised by head coach

#vegas

Prior to Thursday's victory over the New England Patriots, the Seattle Seahawks added some depth to their secondary with the elevation of AJ Finley to the 53 man roster to feel more secure in the home opener. With that came the corresponding move of cutting 2025's sixth round pick Bryce Cabeldue. If the Seahawks hoped to get him back onto the practice squad, their hopes were squashed.
Per Mike Garafolo, Klint Kubiak added the guard to his squad over in Las Vegas. With familiarity with the scheme that he runs, it makes sense that Kubiak would want Cabeldue to join him with the Raiders. With the ability to play both right guard and left guard, as well as right tackle and left tackle, that helps Kubiak's squad have depth along the offensive line that ranked dead last in the league in 2025. Improving the offensive line was a focus for Kubiak, adding Tyler Linderbaum to anchor the interior at center, Evan Neal, and drafting Trey Zuhn III.
As it stands right now, Cabeldue is the third left guard on the Raiders depth chart per ESPN behind Spencer Burford and Antonio Mafi.

#seahawks

Raiders HC hints at good Ashton Jeanty news with one-word comment originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Heading into the 2026 NFL season, there are some real question marks surrounding the availability of running back Ashton Jeanty for the Las Vegas Raiders.
He recently suffered an ankle injury and is now questionable for Week 1. But recently, during Klint Kubiak's Wednesday press conference, the Raiders head coach revealed some good news.
ESPN's Ryan McFadden shared that, when asked about Jeanty's status for Week 1 and whether he's optimistic he'll play, the Raiders head coach teased some good news with a smile and a one-word answer.
"When Klint Kubiak was asked if he felt optimistic about #raiders RB Ashton Jeanty's availability for Week 1 vs. Miami, he smiled and simply said: 'Yes,'" McFadden shared.

#raiders #ashton #mcfadden #availability

It has been just ten days since Ashton Jeanty went down with an injury in Raiders camp and didn't return. That was Sunday, August 23, which was exactly three weeks from the start of the Raiders' 2026 season. Making today right about the halfway point. And as of today, the Raiders seem to be feeling pretty good about Jeanty's chances of playing.
Today head coach Klint Kubiak was asked for an update on Jeanty, and he said "He's continuing to improve" and as to whether he is confident Jeanty will be available for the opener, he gave a firm "Yes."
This would seem to add to what GM Johh Spytek said of Jeanty the day before.
"I expect him to be back as quick as he can, maybe quicker than some people would expect," Spytek said of Jeanty.
Now, obviously, that's not a definitive timeline. But, then again, neither is being optimistic. However, it's probably a far cry from the fears the team initially had when Jeanty went down in practice.

#jeanty #spytek

The Las Vegas Raiders aren't quite ready to give Fernando Mendoza the key to their franchise. However, the number one pick in the 2026 NFL Draft is expected to get to that point this season.
NFL teams have very different philosophies when it comes to starting rookie quarterbacks. Many franchises hand over the reigns to their highly-coveted players immediately, including Drake Maye and Caleb Williams.
Meanwhile, the Raiders do have precedent when it comes to taking things slow with their new QB. Klint Kubiak recently announced that Kirk Cousins will start Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins.
That puts Mendoza in the same category as Tampa Bay Buccaneers star Baker Mayfield when he was drafted first overall. The Cleveland Browns opted to keep Mayfield on the sidelines for the first week in 2018.
MORE: Raiders name starting quarterback for Week 1

#starting #first

In a much-anticipated decision, the Las Vegas Raiders named Kirk Cousins their starting quarterback for Week 1.
Raiders coach Klint Kubiak announced the news Wednesday, Sept. 2.
"He played really good football," Kubiak said, via the team's official website. "I'm really happy with all three of our quarterbacks. Kirk's had a really good offseason, very good camp and he's earned it."
Cousins will start the Raiders' season opener against the Miami Dolphins in Las Vegas.
"Where I've seen him grow is in his leadership and his command," Kubiak said of Cousins.

#raiders #kubiak #week #wednesday

Las Vegas Raiders coach Klint Kubiak revealed at a press conference on Wednesday it was an Achilles injury that led to Keyron Crawford being placed on season-ending injured reserve thus ending the edge rusher's rookie year before it even started.
Crawford suffered the injury during Las Vegas' final preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers on Aug. 27, ending a promising summer for the Raiders' third-round pick from this year's draft. The Auburn product had emerged as a developing pass-rush option for the team and was expected to contribute behind Maxx Crosby and Kwity Paye in 2026.
The season-ending designation represents a significant setback for both Crawford and the Raiders, who will enter the regular season without one of their top young players. Crawford's absence has Patrick Johnson in line to have a bigger role at edge rusher in Las Vegas next season.
Kubiak and his staff will now have to redistribute Crawford's defensive snaps while managing the rookie's long-term rehabilitation.
The Raiders will begin the regular season on Sept. 13 against the Miami Dolphins, with Crawford expected to spend the season recovering from the Achilles injury.

#season #vegas #ending #injury

In what has been expected for months, Kirk Cousins will be the Las Vegas Raiders starting quarterback in Week 1 when they host the Miami Dolphins at Allegiant Stadium.
New Las Vegas coach Klint Kubiak made the announcement Wednesday that Cousins and not rookie, No. 1 overall pick, Fernando Mendoza, will lead the team to start the season.
This has long been the expectation. Both Kubiak and Las Vegas general manager John Spytek have said, in a perfect world, they wouldn't rush a rookie quarterback onto the field. Raiders' part owner Tom Brady reportedly also was in favor of not of playing Mendoza early.
Cousins, 38, made the decision easy as he had a strong training camp and preseason. The 15th year veteran has played for Kubiak in the past and should give the Raiders a chance to win while Mendoza continues to prepare to start his career.
The Mendoza era is coming, but first, it will be Cousins under center for the Silver and Black.

#raiders

Fernando Mendoza's NFL debut will have to wait.
The Las Vegas Raiders have named veteran Kirk Cousins their starting quarterback for their Week 1 matchup with the Miami Dolphins, head coach Klint Kubiak announced on Wednesday morning.
The decision is something that has long been expected, even after the Raiders selected Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft back in April.
Barring a late change, Cousins will start his first game with the franchise since his exit with the Atlanta Falcons last season. The Raiders signed Cousins to a one-year deal earlier this year with the expectation that he would open the season in the starting role and serve as a bit of a mentor to Mendoza while he adjusts to the league. Cousins went 5-3 as a starter last season with the Atlanta Falcons, and threw for 1,721 yards with 10 touchdowns and five interceptions.
Cousins was declared the starting quarterback at the start of training camp, too. Head coach Klint Kubiak had plenty of praise for Cousins, who is now with his fourth team in the league, back in July.

#raiders #klint #atlanta

Two key Raiders are not participating in Wednesday's practice.
According to multiple reporters on the scene, quarterback Kirk Cousins and running back Ashton Jeanty are among those sidelined in the day's session.
While Jeanty is dealing with an ankle injury, the reason for Cousins' absence is unknown. The quarterback did appear on the field before the end of the media's viewing window in a red jersey and a hat, which could be an indication that he's receiving a rest day.
Head coach Klint Kubiak is expected to address the media after practice.
With Cousins not participating, rookie Fernando Mendoza handled the QB duties for the first-team offense. Mendoza is expected to receive much fewer reps with the regular season beginning, so this could be a chance for him to further his development before the team dives deeper into preparing to play the Dolphins on Sept. 13.

#participating #team #according

Between Las Vegas Raiders fans and fantasy football players, there's no shortage of Ashton Jeanty followers collectively holding their breath regarding the running back's return timeline. After going down during training camp on August 23, there were initial concerns about the severity of Jeanty's injury, but it was later diagnosed as an ankle sprain, with his return timeline largely considered TBD.
Considering Jeanty's injury occurred weeks before the start of the 2026 NFL season, and with fantasy football drafts just ramping up, it's created a few tough decisions for fantasy owners. Thankfully, it appears that Jeanty is quickly trending in the right direction, at least considering what we've heard from head coach Klint Kubiak and general manager John Spytek.
Spytek spoke with the media early this week and gave a positive overall update on Jeanty, but refused to go so far as to specifically cite when the running back could be ready for in-game action. However, he did say that he believes Jeanty could be back "maybe quicker than some people would expect."
"I think he's in a good spot. We see him every day," Spytek said. "He's working really hard. He's on the mend, as Klint said. I think that's one of the things we all like and respect about Ashton is just the maturity he has and the spirit that he has, that it's hard to knock him down. And I think he attacks everything with a great mindset. And I don't think that this will be any different for him. I expect him to be back as quick as he can, maybe quicker than some people would expect. When that is, we'll see. But I think he's in a good spot, and I think he'll be ready to go when we get him back out there."
Spytek's comments come after former NFL head doctor David J. Chao (ProFootballDoc) posted on X discussing Jeanty's injury and the fact that he had no boot, crutches or limp late last week. He predicted that Jeanty could be back on the field for Week 1.

#jeanty #back #spytek #expect

The Seattle Seahawks made the somewhat surprising decision to not just release veteran wide receiver Cody White, but to not even retain him on the practice squad like has been the norm over the past couple of seasons. We now know that the next chapter of White's career will be with his former Seahawks offensive coordinator.
White has signed with the Las Vegas Raiders practice squad, which will reunite him with new Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak.
The Raiders have scarcely looked at signing available former Seahawks players, but now they have Cody on the practice squad and free agent signing Dareke Young on their 53-man active roster. If you've taken a look at the Raiders' receiver depth chart, there is a more viable path to game day elevations if not an outright promotion to the active roster for Cody. White joins the waiver-claimed Jared Ivey as the first two Seahawks roster cuts confirmed to be heading elsewhere this season.
White was in competition with Ricky White III, Montorie Foster Jr, and Emmanuel Henderson Jr for the bottom-end of Seattle's wide receiver depth chart. With Jake Bobo out for the year, there figured to be a reasonable chance that Cody would either be on the active roster or signed back to Seattle's practice squad. The fact that neither happened is yet another strong endorsement for the rise of Foster, who appeared to separate himself pretty clearly from Ricky White and Henderson throughout camp and preseason.
We'll always have this moment, Cody White! And you've got a ring as a result.

#squad #roster #active #ricky

Monday afternoon, a day after having officially announced all their cuts, the Raiders made another move. The team announced that WR Dont'e Thornton will head to injured reserve.
Thornton has been injured through much of camp and for several weeks now head coach Klint Kubiak has said he expects Thornton to return soon. First he expected he would be back during the preseason, and then on Friday, he said this about the second-year receiver.
"He's still working to come back from an injury, working really hard at it too. And that's part of football, injuries are part of football, and he's straining to get better to get back on the field."
Thornton's exact injury is not known. They certainly haven't known the severity of it up to this point. But it seems like this was the plan yesterday when he made the roster.
With the roster cuts, the one unexpected one was LB Segun Olubi. The special teams maven was the one player on my 53-man roster projection who was cut. And now we see why. Because the plan was to then turn around and sign him back. Only a risk if Olubi wanted to go elsewhere because he wasn't subject to waivers as a vested veteran.

#thornton #cuts #injured #working

The Las Vegas Raiders drafted Fernando Mendoza with plans for him to take the reins as the starting quarterback. John Spytek and Klint Kubiak believe in the young quarterback and what he can do for the franchise in the future.
When it comes to putting him on the football field, the team wants to make sure he is ready. That's why the team brought in Kirk Cousins as a stopgap quarterback until they feel he is fully up to speed. During the preseason, Mendoza had ups and downs, which is why they thought Cousins should start early.
The question now becomes: when does Mendoza get the starting job? The number of games he plays this year will help him reach his potential earlier, where he can learn while the bullets are flying.
In this week's SB Nation Reacts, we ask Raider Nation if Mendoza will start 10 games. Raider Nation doesn't have faith it will happen, with only 25% agreeing he will start 10 games.
If Mendoza does get into the starting lineup, you would expect him to have the job for the rest of the season. Fans expect to wait a long time for that to happen.

#starting #quarterback

The Kansas City Chiefs will face the toughest opponent on their 2026 preseason schedule when they take on the Seattle Seahawks at Arrowhead Stadium this evening.
Fresh off a victory in Super Bowl LX, the Seahawks are among the NFL's best teams and should prove to be a formidable opponent for the Chiefs to face in Kansas City's preseason finale.
This week, Chiefs Wire sat down with Kole Musgrove of Seahawks Wire to get the inside scoop on Seattle ahead of today's game.
Take a look at Musgrove's answers to our top questions:
"I'm not sure if "improved" is the right word here… I prefer 'maintained.' Yes, Seattle lost their Super Bowl MVP (as y'all are aware!), but they managed to keep so many core, foundational pieces of their roster. Guys like Rashid Shaheed, Derick Hall, and keeping DeMarcus Lawrence around for his final season in 2026. Yes, stars get you over the championship hump, but an incredibly deep roster of quality players is what gets you to compete for the Lombardi. Seattle also managed to flawlessly draft the immediate replacements for Kenneth Walker, Riq Woolen, and Coby Bryant… although with Bud Clark out, they have a new pressing need at safety. The Seahawks are bringing back their offensive and defensive lines intact, their top four pass catchers, and most of their coaching staff with the exception of Klint Kubiak. Seattle is as geared up as any Super Bowl champion I can think of to be able to repeat."

#super #kansas #wire

LAS VEGAS—Outside of winning, the goal for the Las Vegas Raiders in this final preseason game was simple: find solutions.
With many positional battles coming down to the final days of the preseason, this marked the last opportunity for players to prove just where they fit into the Raiders' plans for 2026. Everything from starting jobs to roster spots was on the line, forcing the Raiders to leave everything out on the field.
While the Raiders would come out on the losing end of an 18-12 kicking battle against the San Francisco 49ers, they were able to get some questions answered about themselves.
First off, Klint Kubiak poured cold water on the idea of naming a starting quarterback for Week One. However, the performances from the game against San Francisco would suggest what the decision will be.
Kirk Cousins put together a performance that Fernando Mendoza described as "ruthlessly efficient," going 8-for-11 with 51 passing yards. Meanwhile, Mendoza himself ended up struggling with a 7-for-14 line for 57 yards. The first overall pick was also charged with an interception that deflected off the hands of Jalen Nailor to 49ers linebacker Tatum Bethune and two sacks.

#everything #final #preseason

The Las Vegas Raiders decided months ago that they preferred Kirk Cousins starting the season at quarterback while Fernando Mendoza sat and learned.
Based on preseason results, it seems like that might be a reasonable call.
Cousins played in two of the Raiders' preseason games and generally looked sharp and confident in new coach Klint Kubiak's offense. He played two possessions on on Thursday night against the San Francisco 49ers and the Raiders got a field goal on each of them. Mendoza, the first pick of this year's NFL Draft, had some good preseason moments too but he threw an interception for the second straight game and generally struggled.
Mendoza's second pass of the game was an interception. Mendoza tried to squeeze a pass over the 49ers' linebackers dropping into coverage and it was high to Jalen Nailor. The pass went off Nailor's hands and was picked off. That was Mendoza's second interception of the preseason. The first was a pick 6 in last week's game against the Texans.
Mendoza was sacked twice and had just 38 passing yards in the first half. He had four drives before halftime: two ended with a punt, one with an interception and then the Raiders got a field goal before halftime.

#mendoza #first #pass

The Las Vegas Raiders are set to play their final preseason game, facing off against the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday night. Kickoff is at 5p.m. PT.
This will also mark the end of training camp, as the NFL's cutdown day is right around the corner on Sunday, raising the stakes for every player on the bubble to make the 53-man roster. So, this week's rookies to watch are heavily focused on the Raiders' undrafted free agents, with one third-round pick thrown in the mix.
As the 67th pick of the draft, it's highly unlikely that Crawford is in danger of getting cut. Also, the Auburn product was a project coming out of college and wasn't expected to have a big role this year after Las Vegas signed Kwity Paye, re-signed Malcolm and had the Maxx Crosby trade fall through during free agency. However, Crawford has generated just one pressure in the first two preseason games, per Pro Football Focus, and hasn't been a factor against the run, either.
Meanwhile, S&BP's Bill Williamson listed three other edges—UDFA Cian Slone and veterans Patrick Johnson and Jahfari Harvey—as players to watch against San Francisco, and all three have outperformed Crawford this month. Again, the third-rounder's roster spot should be safe, but he's looking at getting buried on the depth chart if he doesn't step up on Thursday night.
Klint Kubiak didn't mince words when talking about the team's wide receivers after last week's game, saying "they gotta get a lot better and fast". The coaching staff is clearly looking for someone to step up and provide some depth out wide, giving Williams an opportunity to earn a roster spot with a strong outing against the 49ers. He had a 41-yard catch a couple of weeks ago, but hauled in just one grab for six yards in Houston.

#roster

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — The Raiders' offensive line is far from proven, no wide receiver has emerged as a true No. 1 and a rookie could be the starting running back entering the season.
Probably not the ideal situation to start a first-year quarterback, but players drafted first overall — as Fernando Mendoza was — usually join a team with a lot more questions than answers.
And there are plenty with Las Vegas.
Could that be a factor for when Raiders coaches decide to start Mendoza? He likely will be the backup to Kirk Cousins when the season opens Sept. 13 against Miami.
"They've all got to get ready," coach Klint Kubiak said. "Whoever is playing quarterback for us, it's a team thing. It's not the QB playing well and everyone else is not or the other way around."

#team

The Las Vegas Raiders group of wide receivers are under the microscope this week in the final days before the team is required to set its initial 53-man roster on Sunday afternoon.
Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak recently fueled speculation about the unit last week when he said the group took a step backward in Week 2 of the preseason and it needs players to step up for the regular season. Let's look at where the unit stands:
Safe:
Tre Tucker, Jalen Nailor, Jack Bech.
You can question whether this tope three is good enough to help win games in the regular season. But these players should be part of the mic for sure.

#regular

Las Vegas Raiders top pick Fernando Mendoza may not exactly have inspired confidence in his coaches on Thursday in the team's 22-20 win in the preseason over the Houston Texans.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft went 8-of-15 with one interception returned for a touchdown, while veteran Kirk Cousins didn't play at all, perhaps a sign that the franchise will start him in Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins.
But head coach Klint Kubiak wasn't about to make any declarations just yet after the contest. As of right now, he's not naming the starting quarterback.
"We've got another week of playing. I don't want anyone to be comfortable in their job," he said, via Pro Football Talk. "It should always be that way for all positions. So, let's keep going forward."
Remember that Cousins has been working with the first-team offense and that Kubiak has said "it's his job to lose." It seems pretty obvious at this point that Cousins is the front-runner barring a surprise. We'll see.

#vegas #fernando #houston

As the No. 1 overall pick in this year's NFL Draft, Fernando Mendoza has a lot of expectations to meet. Long-suffering Las Vegas Raiders fans are hoping he is the franchise quarterback they have been sorely lacking, though the organization itself has been taking things slowly with the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner.
Longtime NFL Network ******* yst and former NFL head coach Steve Mariucci knows some things about quarterback play, having worked with the likes of Brett Favre and Steve Young. In a new interview with Alex Withers for Casino.org, Mariucci revealed his feelings on Mendoza and his future.
Mariucci told Withers he's a "fan" of Mendoza and believes he'll be "the man to watch this season."
"I'm watching him closely coming out of this draft to see when he plays and then how well he plays," Mariucci explained. "It's going to be a baptism by fire. It's going to be hard for him but he's my standout pick for the season based on raw talent."
The Raiders have posted four consecutive losing seasons and went 7-27 in 2024 and 2025. The organization is starting over with first-year coach Klint Kubiak, and is banking on Mendoza being a long-term solution.

#organization

HOUSTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 11: Will Anderson Jr. #51 of the Houston Texans celebrates a sack against the Los Angeles Chargers in the fourth quarter during the AFC Wild Card Playoffs at NRG Stadium on January 11, 2025 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) Getty
Few players are better at what they do than Las Vegas Raiders pass rusher Maxx Crosby, and several notable members of the Houston Texans didn't hold back on their praise for No. 98.
Houston held a two-hour joint practice with Las Vegas and gave the Raiders valuable reps against a strong Texans squad.
"With joint practices, the main thing is you're just trying to get working and get each other better without turning into a fight and a melee," head coach Klint Kubiak said after the joint practice session. "So, I thought our guys were very mature. …It's about getting the team better, and so I'd say overall I was pleased with that."
Unlike other joint practices, like the one between the New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys, where there were multiple fights, there was no bad blood between the Texans and the Raiders.

#houston #raiders #better #texas

Prior to training camp, there was a large faction of Las Vegas Raiders fans who were not happy about the reports that the team was expected to make nww veteran addition Kirk Cousins the starting quarterback to start the season (and likely remain the starter for much, if not, all of he 2026 season) over No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza.
Now, that we are well into training camp and the preseason, it seems obvious that Cousins will, indeed, be the starter in Week 1 when the Raiders host the Miami Dolphins on September 13. Last week, Raiders coach Klint Kubiak said the starting gig is Cousins' to lose and he has looked great in training camp and the first preseason game.
Now, that that reality is sinking in, we wanted to circle back. How are you feeling about the likelihood of Cousins playing instead of Mendoza.
Cousins has had a strong training camp and, of course, he is experienced. Are you in favor of this plan or do you want the top prized rookie get his shot as soon as possible?
Sign up for a user account and get:

#starter #preseason

The Las Vegas Raiders held a joint practice with the host Houston Texans on Tuesday and, as head coach Klint Kubiak suggested might happen last week, rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza did, indeed, get some work with the first-team offense.
Mendoza got extensive work with the first- team offense for the first time in training camp and it came against the Texans' stout defense. He had some nice moments, but also struggled along with the rest of the Raiders' offense. He and expected starter Kirk Cousins threw Pick 6s.
Kubiak wouldn't say if the first team would play Thursday night against the Texans, but he did say Mendoza will get a lot of reps. He played from late in the first quarter until early in the fourth quarter against Arizona last week.
In other notes from the joint practice:
While it seemed like the Texans' defense won the day, the Raiders' had some highlights. Tight end Brock Bowers had some nice plays. Running back Ashton Jeanty made some plays in their receiving game and rookie running back Mike Washington had some big runs against the Texans' second-team defense.

#kubiak

It was but a mere glimpse, but what an encouraging view of Klint Kubiak's Las Vegas Raiders offense in the preseason opener, no?
A mix of both efficiency and staples of the Kubiak scheme, the Silver & Black's head coach and offensive play caller provided a window into what he's cooking up this season in Las Vegas' 27-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals this past Thursday.
The opening drive showcases the ever-efficient Kirk Cousins in the driver seat as the veteran quarterback and looking sharp pacing a 10-play, 68-yard touchdown drive. Behind an offensive line that kept him clean and comfortable, Cousins went 5-of-6 for 50 yards with his touchdown pass going to tight end Michael Mayer. It was a script featuring the heavy personnel packages — multiple tight ends — a (gasp!) fullback in Connor Heyward, pre-snap motions, and balanced air and ground attacks.
It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, of course. And Kubiak — a rookie head coach — admitted as much in the post-game press conference.
"I think the thing that stands out to me, ***** ytically or not, is our penalties. We really hurt ourselves," the Raiders head coach said. "We put ourselves in some negative situations, and that's not winning football. Offensively, the fact that we didn't turn the ball over is always good. That's something that didn't stand out last night, but offensively, you can't go into a half a football and not score points. So, we didn't help the defense there. We weren't playing team football in that second half."

#didn 't

Starting jobs are not safe in sports, especially in the NFL. Head coach Klint Kubiak made that clear to veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins following rookie Fernando Mendoza's preseason debut in the Las Vegas Raiders' matchup against the Arizona Cardinals.
Cousins gears up for the 15th season of his career in the league, his first with the Raiders. He has enjoyed a solid career as a starting quarterback for the Washington Commanders, Minnesota Vikings and Atlanta Falcons. He looks to carry his consistency over to the Raiders.
Cousins comes out of the quarterback battle as the starter after competing with Mendoza throughout training camp. That doesn't mean that the team's top overall pick from the 2026 draft won't be getting reps throughout the preseason and potentially the regular season.
Cousins attempted six passes in his preseason debut for the Raiders, completing five throws for 50 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, Mendoza completed 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown during four drives.
Kubiak reflected on both quarterbacks' performances after the game, via ESPN. Despite Mendoza's strong performance, Kubiak reaffirmed that Cousins is in the driver's seat to be the starting quarterback in Week 1.

#raiders #preseason

There are a lot of exciting drafted rookies on this Raiders team. But that's just ten of the rookies. There are nearly twice as many undrafted guys looking to make a roster with a lot of openings on it.
Those hopefuls had their first game action on Thursday night and according to head coach Klint Kubiak, a few of them especially caught his eye.
"Cian [Slone] on defense has done some good stuff. At the wide receiver position we got a few guys that have showed up between Chase [Roberts] and our and our young man from Indiana [EJ Williams]," said Kubiak. "All got some good snaps yesterday."
Slone led the way among those three with 29 combined snaps on defense (21) and special teams (eight). Only four guys on the team got more special teams snaps. Roberts got 16 combined snaps on offense (14) and special teams (two) while Williams got 10 combined snaps on offense (seven) and special teams (three).
As for stats, Slone had a sack along with three combined tackles. EJ Williams' 41-yard catch had him lead the team in receiving yards. While Roberts saw two targets, pulling in one catch for 12 yards.

#combined

Thursday night, after his preseason debut, Las Vegas Raiders coach Klint Kubiak called No. 1 overall pick, quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, an "ascending player."
Friday morning, Kubiak said the coaching staff is working on a plan to get Mendoza more practice reps with the first-team offense. He did note that it's important that all of the team's quarterbacks get work with the first team. But it's clear, Kubiak thinks Mendoza is ready for more challenges. It will be interesting to see if Mendoza gets first-team work against Houston's strong defense in a joint practice Tuesday and in the preseason game Thursday.
Mendoza played from late in the first quarter to early in the fourth quarter in a 27-14 home loss to the Arizona Cardinals. He did not play with most starters. After watching the film, Kubiak praised Mendoza for his poise and game approach.
Mendoza was 10 of 16 for 97 yards with a touchdown pass and one sack. he wasn't perfect, but there were some highlights for sure. Still, Kirk Cousins as excellent and aftert he game, Kubiak said the Week 1 (which is in 30 days) starting ***** ignment is Cousins' job to lose.
Still, Mendoza is showing that he is headed in the right direction.

#first #team #game

The Las Vegas Raiders don't want to start Fernando Mendoza to begin the regular season. But curious fans should get a long look at him in the preseason.
Raiders coach Klint Kubiak confirmed that Mendoza will play in Thursday's preseason opener at home against the Arizona Cardinals. The first overall pick in this year's NFL Draft will get "plenty of experience in the game" though he didn't specify how much Mendoza will play, via the team's site.
"Look forward to seeing him out there with his teammates," Kubiak said, according to Raiders.com. "Lot of guys that we need to evaluate but he'll get plenty of reps."
Considering the Raiders' plan to have Kirk Cousins begin the season as their starter, Mendoza might be the top must-watch player this preseason.
Fernando Mendoza of the Las Vegas Raiders is expected to get his first NFL action on Thursday vs. Arizona. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images)

#raiders #arizona #begin