Kirk Cousins will start the season at quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders according to head coach Klint Kubiak. The veteran quarterback was the presumptive favorite and the No. 1 pick in the draft, Fernando Mendoza, did not do enough to take the job.
Cousins signed a one-year deal worth $20 million guaranteed during the offseason. He would have had to get hurt to not be the starter. Either that or Mendoza would probably have had to look like 2007 Tom Brady. This was a decision made months ago with the long term health of the franchise in mind. Cousins can play most of this season and Mendoza will be the starter for years down the road.
A few months ago Adam Schefter said that the Raiders probably wouldn’t let Mendoza start until December.
MORE: Raiders need to change their plans for Fernando Mendoza
Fernando Mendoza preseason stats
The Raiders played four different quarterbacks during the preseason. Mendoza and Aiden O’Connell took most of the snaps with Kirk Cousins appearing in two games.
Mendoza completed 25-of-45 passes for 240 yards and threw one touchdown pass in the preseason.
Cousins completed 13-of-17 passes for 101 yards and a touchdown. O’Connell completed 22-of-46 passes for 283 yards and scored a rushing touchdown. Undrafted rookie Jacob Clark also got in to a game and threw two passes.
MORE: 3-time Super Bowl champion predicts greatness for Raiders’ Fernando Mendoza
Kirk Cousins resume
Cousins is entering his 15th season in the NFL. He was drafted by Washington in the fourth round in 2012. He took over as the starter in 2014 and threw for over 4,000 yards. After being franchise tagged multiple times he finally left for Minnesota in 2018 where he led the Vikings to two playoff appearances in five seasons. He spent the last two years in Atlanta.
Having just turned 38, Cousins will be reluctant to give up the starting job in Las Vegas, no matter how quickly he and Mendoza became best friends.
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