Raiders' Klint Kubiak hints at stunning Fernando Mendoza decision if Kirk Cousins is named QB1

While first-year Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak declined to name veteran Kirk Cousins the team's starting quarterback over rookie Fernando Mendoza following the club's preseason finale against the San Francisco 49ers, it's believed Cousins locked the job down on Thursday night. 

While speaking with reporters on Friday morning (local time), Kubiak seemed to say plenty about his depth chart without confirming that Cousins will get the start for the Raiders' Week 1 home game against the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 13.

Klint Kubiak sees this quarterback "leading the offense"

According to Raiders reporter Sam Warren of The Athletic, Kubiak acknowledged that he sees Cousins as a guy who's "leading the offense."

Kubiak's admission is hardly shocking, as he said after the Raiders' preseason opener that the job was Cousins' "to lose." After Kubiak made that comment, Mendoza produced two lackluster preseason performances. 

While at the Houston Texans on Aug. 20, Mendoza completed 8-of-15 passes for 86 yards and an interception that was returned for a touchdown. Against the 49ers, he went 7-of-14 passing for 57 yards with an interception and two sacks taken. 

As ESPN's Ryan McFadden shared, however, Kubiak still wouldn't confirm the order of his depth chart that will feature Cousins, Mendoza and Aidan O'Connell. A June report revealed that the Raiders could be open to having Mendoza begin his rookie season as the club's QB3.

"It's going to be some hard decisions on who's [QB1], who's [QB2], and that's not a decision that we have to make today. But those are discussions that are ongoing," Kubiak added. 

How Fernando Mendoza hopes to become "ruthlessly efficient"

Per Case Keefer of the Las Vegas Sun, Mendoza said after Thursday's game that Cousins looked "ruthlessly efficient" against the Niners. According to Warren, Kubiak emphasized Cousins' "ability to communicate pre-snap [and] then adjust post-snap" during Friday's videoconference. 

"There's just so many things that have nothing to do with throwing a tight spiral or an accurate football that goes with being efficient," Kubiak explained. "That's what the best quarterbacks do. That's what they are, and thats something that a young QB like Fernando will keep getting better at with reps."

Mendoza will almost certainly be taking those reps as a QB2 or a QB3 next week.