Raiders' Kirk Cousins reportedly in no danger of being benched after Fernando Mendoza appearance

First-year Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak sat veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins to give No. 1 overall draft pick Fernando Mendoza some playing time late in the club's 45-17 loss at the New England Patriots this past Sunday.

ESPN's Ben Solak predicted that "Cousins will get one more start before Fernando Mendoza time" for the Raiders. It sounds like Solak will be incorrect as long as Cousins remains healthy. 

Raiders "remain in no hurry" to bench Kirk Cousins for Fernando Mendoza on full-time basis

"The Raiders threw Fernando Mendoza in at the end of Sunday's blowout loss to the Patriots, but I am told Kirk Cousins is in no danger of being benched any time soon," NFL insider Dan Graziano of ESPN shared for an article published on Wednesday. "The Raiders were happy to get Mendoza's feet wet, but they remain in no hurry to make him their starter, especially sitting at 3-2 themselves." 

In the summer, multiple stories noted that Raiders minority owner Tom Brady was keen on Mendoza spending at least a portion of his rookie season serving as a backup for Cousins. While Cousins began the campaign with three straight victories, the Raiders are now coming off back-to-back defeats.

That said, Pro-Football-Reference shows that Cousins ended Week 5 ranked 13th in the league among qualified players with a 64.6 adjusted QBR, ninth with a 100.7 passer rating and tied for second with 12 touchdown passes on the season. In short, Kubiak may feel that Mendoza couldn't match such production at this stage of the rookie's ongoing development. 

Kirk Cousins put on notice with Fernando Mendoza waiting

The Raiders next host the 4-1 Buffalo Bills this coming Sunday. In Week 7, Las Vegas will welcome the Los Angeles Rams to Allegiant Stadium. 

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler suggested that it currently isn't a lock that Cousins will start the Raiders' Week 8 game at the New York Jets on Nov. 1.

"The Raiders have played this right in that Cousins is a quarterback who can help them win, so there's no need to rush Mendoza, who's learning an NFL system. But Sunday's lopsided loss was a reminder that Mendoza will play sooner or later," Fowler added.

As of Wednesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had the Raiders as 5.5-point home underdogs against the Bills.