The Las Vegas Raiders may have preferred to wait before naming rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza their starter, but trading Kirk Cousins meant the team had to make its decision sooner. After Cousins was dealt to the Minnesota Vikings, there was speculation that Aidan O’Connell might start while Mendoza adjusted to the NFL. The Raiders instead announced that Mendoza would start for the rest of the season.
O’Connell has moved into the backup role and knows what it is like to take over for a veteran quarterback midway through a season. During Mendoza’s first practice as the starter, O’Connell noticed the rookie speak with star tight end Brock Bowers after completing a pass to him. Mendoza thought something about Bowers’ route could have been better and took the time to discuss it.
O’Connell said it takes confidence for a rookie to approach an established player with that kind of feedback. He called the moment a valuable learning experience for Mendoza and said it was good to see.
## Raiders Believe Mendoza Is Ready
Cousins had been playing well, making it understandable that the Raiders kept him as their starter. But punter AJ Cole said the team had always intended to give Mendoza an opportunity, whether that came after one game or 10. Cole added that the Raiders would not have made the move if they did not believe the rookie was ready.
Cole also said the change gives Mendoza valuable playing time while allowing the team to compete with the talent already on its roster and the support system around him.
## “It’s Mendoza Time”
Mendoza was the first player selected in this year’s draft, but before being named the starter, he had played only a handful of snaps. It remains to be seen whether the Raiders will perform better with him at quarterback than they did with Cousins. Mendoza does, however, give the offense a younger and more athletic option.
The decision to move on from a veteran who had been playing well could have disappointed some players, but linebacker Nakobe Dean sounded enthusiastic. He said that when a team uses the No. 1 pick on a quarterback, it signals that the player is viewed as part of its future. Dean summed up his reaction with a clear message: “It’s Mendoza Time. Let’s go.”
