Fernando Mendoza timeline depends on playoffs
After Sunday’s disappointing effort from the Raiders, some have wondered if the timeline to start Fernando Mendoza might be moving forward a little.
Mendoza entered Sunday’s game with the outcome already determined, but he did remind the ones who didn’t change the channel why he was the first overall pick in the draft.
Mendoza’s release was quick and his arm strength especially stood out after watching three quarters of Kirk Cousins. But according to Sports Illustrated insider Hondo Carpenter, a change at quarterback probably isn’t coming soon.
Hondo was asked on his podcast this week if a quarterback change might be imminent, and he didn’t mince words.
“Based up my knowledge of their mindset. No, because they’re not out of playoff contention yet,” Carpenter said on the Las Vegas Raiders Insider podcast.
“I mean, if they lose the next two [games], which I don’t think they’re going to win the next two, that puts them at 3-4 with a chance to go to New York and get a win and be at 4-4… and that means they are squarely in the playoff hunt.”
Will the Raiders consider a QB change around the trade deadline?
Statistically, Kirk Cousins has been one of the best quarterbacks in the league through the first five games of the season, but his situation in Las Vegas is different than most.
The Raiders need to turn to Mendoza before the end of the year, and there’s a chance the offense will open up when Klint Kubiak is able to tap into Mendoza’s superior mobility and arm strength.
One of the best monologues on the Vegas quarterback situation came this week from Murf on Raiders Fan Radio.
There is a definite argument to be made for Mendoza getting into the lineup much sooner than later…
Depending on how the quarterback landscape plays out around the league, Cousins could be an attractive trade option ahead of the November 10 trade deadline.
Aidan O’Connell didn’t hang around this year as a no. 3 quarterback for no reason. Everyone knows there’s a chance Cousins could be wearing a different uniform in a month
If a top quarterback goes down in the next four weeks, Cousins could be worth a fifth or sixth-round pick to a playoff-caliber team desperate for a quarterback.
