Kubiak has made no secret of his intentions for how he will handle the quarterback position in 2026. In late March, Kubiak said he would prefer to avoid starting Mendoza, who finished April 1st, from Day 1, indicating he prefers Mendoza to learn behind a veteran capable of handling the job for now. A few days later, Las Vegas signed Cousins to fulfill Kubiak’s wish.
Since that point, Cousins has been expected to begin the 2026 season as Las Vegas’ starter. How long that will last remains to be seen, but for now, everything is going according to Kubiak’s plan.
In a perfect world, Mendoza and O’Connell push Cousins and all three improve. Ultimately, Mendoza is considered ready to take over for Cousins at some point in the 2026 season, but not before Cousins leads the Raiders’ offense through fire last season while Mendoza finds his footing.
So far, so good. After being washed out of Atlanta, Cousins has found a new opportunity to start in the NFL. Mendoza has an elder who can help him. The Raiders seem intent on continuing to follow this plan until a change — or advancement to the next stage in Mendoza’s development — is necessary.