Raiders Sign No. 1 Pick Fernando Mendoza to 4-Year, $57.27 Million Guaranteed Deal

Q: Will the Raiders bench their $57M rookie QB all season if veteran Kirk Cousins struggles?

Probably not. The Raiders’ preferred plan is clearly to let Fernando Mendoza sit and learn behind Kirk Cousins in 2026, but that plan is best understood as an ideal scenario, not a rigid commitment if Cousins plays poorly. What the team has said publicly lines up with that developmental approach. General manager John Spytek and coach Klint Kubiak have both emphasized that rookie quarterbacks often benefit from sitting early, and NFL Media has reported the Raiders would like Cousins to handle the full season. Mendoza also has real developmental work ahead in Kubiak’s under-center, play-action system, so there is football logic to delaying his debut. But several factors make a full-season redshirt unlikely if Cousins struggles. Cousins is 37 and coming off uneven recent seasons, the Raiders are rebuilding after a 3-14 year, and Mendoza is not a long-shot project — he was the No. 1 overall pick, a Heisman winner, and widely viewed as one of the strongest quarterback prospects of recent draft classes. If Las Vegas falls out of contention or Cousins’ play becomes a problem, pressure would rise quickly to see Mendoza. History also points that way. Teams rarely keep a healthy No. 1 overall quarterback on the bench for an entire rookie season, especially on a rebuilding roster. The Raiders may open the year with Cousins and try to stay patient, but if he struggles badly, the most likely outcome is that Mendoza plays at some point in 2026 rather than sitting all year.

3 articles · Updated · Silver And Black Pride · Jul 23

$57.27 million fully guaranteed made Fernando Mendoza the final Raiders rookie to sign, completing Las Vegas' entire 2026 draft class as camp opens.
The four-year contract ends a months-long wait after Mendoza, drafted No. 1 overall on April 23, remained unsigned amid reported disputes over payout timing, offset language and voiding rules.
The deal includes a team-held fifth-year option to be decided in spring 2029, with rookies and select veterans reporting Thursday and the first full-squad practice set for Wednesday.
Attention now shifts to Mendoza's 2026 role after NFL Media reported the Raiders would prefer veteran Kirk Cousins, who turns 38 next month, to start the full season while the rookie sits and develops.