Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak announced that veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins will start the upcoming training camp as the team's No. 1 signal-caller, ahead of the Raiders' top draft selection, Fernando Mendoza.
"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 stated, according to NFL.com. "But I want Fernando and I want Aidan [O’Connell] to push him."
While Kubiak's decision solidifies the initial plan, he stressed that all positions will see competition, with the best player earning the starting role. "For every position, there’s gotta be competition, right? The best player has to play," Kubiak said. "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. We as coaches, we’re gonna see who the best guard is, the best quarterback, across the board."
Cousins, a 14-year veteran, was signed by the Raiders shortly after Mendoza, who led Indiana to a national championship, was selected first overall in the 2026 NFL Draft. Kubiak indicated that the ideal scenario involves Cousins starting while Mendoza develops and learns. However, Kubiak also suggested a willingness to evaluate talent and make changes if a player demonstrates superior performance, regardless of their draft status or experience.
"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," Kubiak added.
The Raiders' first preseason game is scheduled for August 13 against the Arizona Cardinals, and they will open their regular season at home against the Miami Dolphins on September 13.