Raiders get a third-round prime backmost from Vikings successful speech for Kirk Cousins
Las Vegas Raiders backmost Fernando Mendoza (15) passes during a grooming campy practice, unfastened to the public, astatine Allegiant Stadium Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026. Las Vegas Raiders backmost Kirk Cousins (8) looks connected astatine left. Photo by: Steve Marcus
By Case Keefer (contact)
Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026 | 11:50 a.m.
Fernando Mendoza’s clip to instrumentality implicit arsenic Raiders’ starting backmost is here.
The No. 1 wide draught prime volition marque his archetypal commencement for the metallic and achromatic astatine 1:05 p.m. Sunday erstwhile the Raiders big the Seattle Seahawks astatine Allegiant Stadium.
The way was cleared aft Las Vegas agreed to commercialized Kirk Cousins to the Minnesota Vikings a small much than hr earlier the NFL’s commercialized deadline. The Raiders volition person a third-round prime successful exchange, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
That goes against erstwhile reports that the Raiders wouldn’t portion with the 38-year-old Cousins, who sits 2nd successful the league with 20 touchdown passes, for thing little than a second-round pick.
But it could besides beryllium taken arsenic a motion that the Raiders believed Mendoza was acceptable to presume the position. The reigning Heisman Trophy victor and College Football Playoff champion had taken snaps with the archetypal squad successful signifier for the past respective weeks, and got his archetypal NFL enactment astatine the extremity of a blowout nonaccomplishment to the New England Patriots past month.
Mendoza completed six of 8 passes for 48 yards with 1 unreserved for 3 yards successful his 1 thrust of work. He should instantly springiness the Raiders much of a running-game menace astatine the sport’s astir important position, though helium struggled with interceptions done grooming campy and the preseason.
The Seahawks are not an perfect landing spot for his archetypal commencement considering they’ve wide been rated arsenic the league’s apical defence implicit the past twelvemonth and a half. But forcing him into enactment mightiness person been worthy it to get immoderate compensation backmost for Cousins, who was astir surely leaving this offseason to manus disconnected the occupation to Mendoza.
Cousins’ past crippled arsenic a Raider was rough, arsenic helium threw 3 interceptions successful a nonaccomplishment to the 49ers connected Sunday, but his abbreviated tenure different exceeded each expectations. It adjacent gave the Raiders little anticipation astatine a imaginable AFC West divisional title erstwhile they won their archetypal 3 games and led the archrival Kansas City Chiefs astatine halftime of Week 5.
The play has unraveled from there, arsenic the Raiders person mislaid 4 of 5 games to beryllium astatine 4-5 connected the year. Making a tally with Mendoza isn’t retired of the question but would apt instrumentality Rookie of the Year-caliber play from the backmost considering the team’s shortcomings connected defense, successful the tally crippled and on the lines of scrimmage.
But this play was ever astir mounting the instauration for Mendoza and first-year manager Klint Kubiak to win agelong term. Getting Mendoza astatine slightest a fewer starts was ever portion of the vision.
They’ll conscionable travel a small sooner now, and the Raiders volition get a Day 2 draught prime to amusement for it.
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