Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak ended any early speculation about his quarterback depth chart on the eve of training camp, announcing that veteran Kirk Cousins will open as the starter. The decision places the 14-year NFL veteran ahead of rookie Fernando Mendoza, whom the Raiders selected with the first overall pick in the 2026 draft after a standout national championship season at Indiana. Cousins, who has started for Washington and Minnesota over his career, signed with Las Vegas shortly after the draft.
"When we go out to practice tomorrow, Kirk Cousins is the starting quarterback. He's the guy, and he's going to get a ton of reps. He deserves them because he's played really good football," Kubiak told reporters. "But I want Fernando and I want Aidan O'Connell to push him." The head coach emphasized that while Cousins leads the group, all positions remain open to competition as training camp progresses and that no final decisions have been made for the regular season.
Kubiak, who arrived in Las Vegas after orchestrating a Super Bowl-winning offense as the Seattle Seahawks' offensive coordinator, has consistently signaled his intention to start Cousins while allowing Mendoza time to develop. Mendoza's college career culminated in a national championship for Indiana, earning him the top selection after months of speculation that he would go first overall. His arrival has generated significant excitement among Raiders fans who have long awaited a franchise quarterback, but the organization appears committed to a patient approach.
The decision to start Cousins reflects the Raiders' desire for stability at quarterback after a period of turnover at the position. Las Vegas has cycled through several starters since relocating to the city, and Kubiak hopes the veteran's experience can provide a steady hand while the rookie develops. Cousins brings a wealth of knowledge from his years in the league, which could benefit the entire offense.
Kubiak stressed that competition will be the defining theme of training camp across all positions. "For every position, there's gotta be competition, right? The best player has to play, and that's not just what I'm gonna see. You guys are gonna see it in the preseason games," he said. "We as coaches, we're gonna see who the best guard is, the best quarterback, across the board. There's battles everywhere on the roster. It's important for me to be fair to the players to put the best player out there."
While the veteran holds the top spot to begin camp, the Raiders view Mendoza as the future franchise quarterback. Kubiak has noted that the ideal scenario is for Cousins to start and mentor Mendoza, who can learn from the experienced passer. However, if Mendoza significantly outperforms Cousins during preseason games and practices, the coaching staff will reconsider the depth chart. In his first head coaching role, Kubiak has no prior track record with such a quarterback situation, but he has committed to evaluating every position without favoritism. Aidan O'Connell, who started games for the Raiders last season, remains in the mix and could compete for the backup role.
The Raiders will play their first preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals on August 13, followed by their regular-season opener at home against the Miami Dolphins on September 13. As training camps begin across the NFL, Cousins, Mendoza, and O'Connell will all compete for repetitions and work to build chemistry with the offense. For now, the starting job belongs to Cousins, but the door remains open for Mendoza to claim it in the weeks ahead. Kubiak's commitment to competition ensures that the quarterback position will be one of the most closely watched storylines of the Raiders' preseason.