Raiders Urged to Make Bold Fernando Mendoza Decision

Former NFL quarterback and noted quarterbacks coach Jordan Palmer said the Las Vegas Raiders should give rookie Fernando Mendoza the starting job if the competition with veteran Kirk Cousins remains close.

“I just think with any rookie that’s drafted high, particularly at one overall, if it’s close, then play him. If they’re ready, then play him,” Palmer told Rich Eisen on the Rich Eisen Show this week.

Palmer, an eight-year NFL veteran and founder of a prominent quarterback development program, argued that high draft capital changes the calculus for when a young passer should take the field. He pointed to Mendoza’s elite college production as evidence the 22-year-old is prepared for the leap.

Mendoza, selected first overall by the Raiders in April’s NFL draft, arrived in Las Vegas after a historic 2025 season at Indiana. The Heisman Trophy winner completed 72 percent of his passes for 3,535 yards, 41 touchdowns and only six interceptions while leading the Hoosiers to a perfect 16-0 record and the program’s first national championship.

That performance included a dominant College Football Playoff run and a dramatic title-game victory over Miami. Mendoza became only the fourth player in the common draft era to win both the Heisman and a national title before going No. 1 overall, following the path of Joe Burrow in 2020.

The Raiders, coming off a 3-14 season in which they scored a league-low 241 points, signed Cousins to a two-year deal to serve as a bridge and mentor. Head coach Klint Kubiak has repeatedly named the 14-year veteran the Week 1 starter, emphasizing a deliberate developmental plan for the rookie.

Kubiak has said Cousins “deserves it because he’s played really good football,” while stressing that Mendoza and fourth-year quarterback Aidan O’Connell must continue pushing the veteran. The organization has kept Mendoza primarily with the second team through much of training camp, though the No. 1 pick recently received first-team snaps during joint practices.

Mendoza’s preseason debut offered an encouraging first look. Against the Arizona Cardinals, he completed 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. He operated under center in Kubiak’s system, connected on intermediate throws and led a scoring drive that included a six-yard touchdown pass.

Palmer believes that kind of early success, combined with Mendoza’s proven ability to handle pressure in the Big Ten and playoffs, warrants giving the rookie the opportunity sooner rather than later. He noted that protecting a top pick by keeping him on the bench can sometimes hinder growth more than help it.

“In my opinion, he should,” Palmer said of Mendoza starting. “He’s a really good player. He played at a much higher level in college last year. We talk about going through the Big 10 and then going through the college football playoff and winning it all, beating Miami and all that. He should play well in the preseason.”

Palmer added that readiness remains the ultimate standard. If Mendoza demonstrates command of the offense and handles the speed of the NFL without being overwhelmed, the former pro would hand him the keys. If not, the veteran path remains appropriate.

The Raiders have not publicly altered their stated plan. Cousins, who turns 38 this week, has embraced a mentoring role and said he wants Mendoza to eventually look back on their time together as beneficial to the young quarterback’s career. Minority owner Tom Brady has also been involved in the franchise’s long-term vision at the position.

Historically, first-overall quarterbacks have varied widely in their timelines. Some, like Burrow, started immediately and thrived. Others benefited from sitting behind veterans. Palmer’s stance reflects a growing school of thought that elite college producers drafted at the top of the board should not be held back solely by institutional caution.

With two preseason games remaining before the regular-season opener against the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 13, Mendoza will have additional opportunities to force the conversation. His accuracy, decision-making and leadership traits that won over the Raiders’ front office, including general manager John Spytek and Brady, remain the foundation of the franchise’s hopes.

Whether those traits translate quickly enough to unseat Cousins will define the early narrative of both the 2026 season and Mendoza’s professional career.

Palmer’s message was clear: when the difference is marginal and the talent is elite, the high draft pick should get the chance to prove himself.