Raiders Not Ruling Out QB Change

When speaking after yesterday’s game, head coach Klint Kubiak did not rule out a change at the QB spot. Cousins was added in free agency to operate as Vegas’ No. 1 quarterback at the beginning of the campaign, but a move to first overall pick Fernando Mendoza is seen as inevitable. With the Raiders now sitting at 3-4, that time could be approaching.

“We have to go watch the film,” Kubiak said (via ESPN’s Ryan McFadden). “I think at this point, we’re thinking about everything to fix our problems, how to fix our issues in the red zone, in the third quarter, personnel [and] scheme. We’ve got to talk about all of it.”

Cousins has posted a 97.4 passer rating while completing 62.6% of his attempts. The 38-year-old currently leads the NFL with 16 touchdown passes, an indication of the high floor he offers while leading Vegas’ offense. The Raiders have struggled to generate a consistent ground game, however, and they rank 31st in the league in rushing yards per game. Meanwhile, Vegas’ defense has allowed at least 30 points during every game of the losing streak.

Improvement could certainly come without a change under center as a result. Nevertheless, first-round picks at the quarterback position tend to find themselves on the field at some point during their rookie seasons. As the top selection from April’s draft and the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, Mendoza’s long-term development is of course a major priority for the Raiders. That process will no doubt include time on the field (beyond his late-game usage during Week 5) in 2026.

“If I’m not the best option, then I don’t want to be out there, either. I want our football team to have the best chance to win games,” Cousins said (via Sam Warren of The Athletic). “I feel that Fernando has done a great job and has a bright future ahead, and I’m gonna go out there and play as well as I possibly can, help us win and give him a great example to learn from until he does go out there eventually.”

The Raiders have five games remaining until their bye week. Four of them will be on the road, and a trio of matchups against the 49ers, Seahawks and Broncos looms after Week 8’s matchup with the Jets. It will be interesting to see when Kubiak targets a switch to Mendoza.