Could Raiders' Kirk Cousins-Fernando Mendoza situation lead to QB trade?

The Las Vegas Raiders are brimming with promise heading into the 2026 season, largely because they're being led by veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins and talked-about rookie Fernando Mendoza.

One obvious positive about any team with the worst record in the NFL is that chance to get that coveted first-round draft pick, and the Raiders used it wisely by selecting Mendoza, who was undefeated with the Indiana Hoosiers in 2025 and led the team to their first national championship victory ever.

With both Cousins and Mendoza in the fold, the Raiders' quarterback room is looking a bit packed. So, it would make sense that the team could trade a signal-caller.

Raiders urged to trade quarterback Aidan O'Connell

In a feature published on Tuesday via Bleacher Report, Moe Moton names one player from each NFL franchise who should get traded this summer. For the Raiders, that player is quarterback Aidan O'Connell. Part of that reason is draft capital. O'Connell has a lot to offer another NFL franchise that doesn't already have two A-list quarterbacks on its roster.

"Aidan O'Connell has the playing experience to be a borderline starter or a high-end backup, but he's the third-stringer behind Kirk Cousins and No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza," Moton states in the piece.

He adds that O'Connell has 17 starts and a "decent resume," tossing for 3,932 yards, 20 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. "A team that needs an upgrade at the backup quarterback spot," he says, "may offer Las Vegas a late-round pick for the fourth-year pro."

O'Connell's talents could certainly be used elsewhere in the NFL. It's never a fun thing to get traded away from where you've called home, but for this quarterback, it may be a blessing, if it happens.