Raiders QB Kirk Cousins Not Certain To Start Week 1

The general consensus in Las Vegas has been that veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins will open the season as the team’s QB1. According to ESPN’s Ryan McFadden, new head coach Klint Kubiak claims he hasn’t made a decision on a starter yet and “that the answer will reveal itself during training camp.”

When the Raiders utilized their No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, it was with the intention that he would eventually become the organization’s next franchise quarterback. Knowing that it can be harmful to a prospect’s development if they are thrown into NFL competition too soon, the team brought Cousins in as an experienced, veteran option.

While Cousins’ experience and accomplishments provide a decent case for him to start on their own, his familiarity with Kubiak theoretically solidifies his status as the man to beat for the starting job on opening day. Cousins played for the Vikings from 2018-23, and in three of those seasons, he had Kubiak as a quarterbacks coach (2019-20) or offensive coordinator (2021), so the two have worked together before. As the Raiders implement Kubiak’s offense, Cousins’ knowledge can help make the transition smooth, in comparison to the rookie Heisman-winner who will be coming in with a blank slate.

But the season doesn’t start tomorrow, and there’s a lot that can happen between now and Week 1. Players and coaches alike have been very impressed with Mendoza in the early days. Left tackle Kolton Miller called the young passer “wired” and “a sponge, soaking in information and taking notes during team meetings.” Kubiak doubled down on that notion, saying, “Anything you put in front of him, he’s going to attack it. Anything new, he spends extra time on. You can tell he fixes things from one day to the next.”

At the moment, Cousins is the first quarterback on the field, former starter Aidan O’Connell is second, and Mendoza is third, but Kubiak hasn’t provided a timeline for when he’ll name the Week 1 starter, counting instead on the answer revealing itself in training camp. And, while Kubiak has a history with Cousins, he won’t be making the decision alone as Kubiak claims “he wants his players to decide who should be the starter.”