Raiders’ Plan for Kirk Cousins to Start Was Never About Doubting Fernando Mendoza
The debate over who starts Week 1 for the Raiders has played out for months, but according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the decision to open the season with a veteran at quarterback wasn’t about questioning Fernando Mendoza’s talent at all.
It was about protecting him.
Tom Brady’s Plan Behind the Move
Schefter reported that the push to bring in a bridge starter came directly from Tom Brady, framing it as a deliberate plan rather than a fallback option.
“Tom Brady knew that he wanted a veteran to start the season to take the pressure off Fernando Mendoza,” Schefter said, explaining why Kirk Cousins will open training camp as the Raiders’ starting quarterback.
“Cousins will be the starter. It’ll be him, it looks like, on opening day and they’re going to bring along Mendoza at a very slow and casual pace.”
Instead of the Raiders needing time to evaluate whether Mendoza was ready, the plan seems to have been set well before he ever took an OTA snap, built around shielding the No. 1 overall pick from having to be “the guy” on a team that’s still finding its footing under a brand-new coaching staff.
Why the Pressure Angle Makes Sense
It lines up with everything that has been reported about the Raiders’ approach this offseason.
The offensive line was the worst in the league a year ago, the receiver room is still without a clear-cut No. 1 target, and Rob Leonard is running a first-year defense that will most likely lean on rookies in the secondary.
Throwing Mendoza into that as a true Day 1 starter, regardless of talent level, would have meant asking him to prop up a roster that isn’t fully constructed.
Bringing in Cousins gives the Raiders a proven starter who can absorb some of the growing pains that come with a new scheme and a rebuilt offensive line, without forcing Mendoza to be the one who takes the hits, literal and figurative, while everything around him is still coming together.
What It Means Going Forward
None of this means Mendoza is destined to sit for long.
The plan, as it’s been described all offseason, still points toward getting him meaningful reps at some point in 2026, whether that’s through sprinkled-in first-team snaps during camp or a midseason handoff if the Raiders’ record calls for it.
But Schefter’s report reframes the decision. This was never a vote of no confidence in Mendoza. It was Brady and the front office trying to set him up to succeed once his time eventually comes, rather than throwing Mendoza into the fire before the team around him is ready to support him.