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On April 2, the Las Vegas Raiders secured veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins, who will likely be playing in front of Fernando Mendoza as the former Indiana Hoosiers QB is expected to go No. 1 overall to the Silver and Black.
Cousins’ agent confirmed the agreement, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that $20 million of the 2026 contract is guaranteed. The deal also includes a two-year club option valued at $80 million, with a total potential worth of $172 million across five years.
With Las Vegas now having its veteran that can play in front of Mendoza and mentor him, former Raiders QB Rich Gannon shared his thoughts on the signing.
“I think it makes a lot of sense, and I think you can look into it a number of different ways,” Gannon said in an April 2 video from the New York Post. “He’s going to be the starter in Week 1. I don’t think we need to get that far. I just think bringing in a quality player and person like Kirk Cousins is important.
“He’s got, you know, 14 years of experience; he’s got 167 starts under his belt. He’s thrown for almost 45,000 yards and almost 300 touchdowns [and] he’s played well for a number of different organizations.”
Fernando Mendoza Would Have Plenty to Learn From Kirk Cousins
Moreover, Gannon explained why Cousins is the perfect veteran to serve as a mentor to Mendoza, as the rookie QB would learn what it takes to succeed in the NFL.
“I think he’s going to be a great asset to a young Fernando Mendoza,” Gannon added. “He’s got history with Klint Kubiak and the system. So I think it makes a lot of sense to bring him in. Whether or not he starts Week 1, to me, is irrelevant at this point. I think both will play, but I just think Kirk Cousins is the right person, the right person, a guy with great character and integrity and great leadership skills.
“I think there are some similarities when you look at both players, but I think that quarterback room is off to a really good start when you look at those two. And I’m assuming that we’re going to draft Fernando Mendoza. I was down there last week and had a great conversation with Klint Kubiak. They are really excited about this 2026 season.”
Mike Greenberg Applauds Raiders for Kirk Cousins Move
Last season with the Atlanta Falcons, Cousins posted a 76.0 overall PFF grade, placing him 14th among 43 qualified quarterbacks. His passing grade also landed at 75.0, ranking 14th at the position.
Over 289 dropbacks, he threw for 1,721 yards with 10 touchdowns and 5 interceptions, producing nine big-time throws while committing five turnover-worthy plays.
Furthermore, ESPN’s Mike Greenberg is applauding the Raiders for not potentially throwing a rookie QB like Mendoza to the fire right from the start.
“I love that now they’re not forcing him to be the guy: Not just starting Week 1, but starting like July 15 or whatever day they all show up at training camp,” Greenberg said on the April 2 edition of the “Pat McAfee Show.” “You don’t want to have everything be on his shoulders, no matter how pro‑ready he is. And I think Fernando Mendoza is as pro‑ready as you can be for a rookie quarterback.
“I have always believed that getting a veteran in there to mentor him is an outstanding move. Kirk Cousins is a perfect one. With the combination of Cousins and Tom Brady being in the organization, I don’t know how much better Fernando Mendoza could have it than he has it right now.”
Eduardo Razo Eduardo Razo is a sports writer for Heavy.com, covering the NFL, MLB, and college football. He has previously covered the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB for NBC Sports Washington and NBC Sports Bay Area & California, and has freelanced for PSG Talk, covering Paris Saint-Germain. He also worked as an editor at Athlon Sports, focusing on MLB and the NFL. More about Eduardo Razo
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