The Las Vegas Raiders will select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and he will eventually take over as the franchise QB.
However, the Raiders made it clear they don’t want to rush him into a starting role. If they feel he should sit and learn behind a veteran for a while, they’ll be comfortable doing that.
Fernando Mendoza participates in Indiana University’s Pro Day at Mellencamp Pavilion on Wednesday, April 1, 2026. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Now, Las Vegas has found that veteran quarterback.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Raiders and former Atlanta Falcons QB Kirk Cousins have agreed to a deal.
Comp update: Kirk Cousins will sign a five-year, $172 million deal with the Raiders that in reality is a one-year, fully-guaranteed $20 million deal that also contains a club option for two years at $80M.
The Falcons will pay Cousins $8.7 million this season, the Raiders another… pic.twitter.com/MHYqOOfBs7
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 2, 2026Kirk Cousins joins the Raiders
Cousins dealt with injuries during his two seasons in Atlanta, but when he was healthy, he was one of the more efficient quarterbacks in the league. The Falcons were 6-3 at one point in 2024 before he got hurt, and he had thrown 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions before his injury.
He started eight games in place of the injured Michael Penix Jr. in 2025, going 5-3 and throwing 10 touchdowns to five interceptions. He signed a four-year, $180 million contract with the Falcons with $100 million guaranteed in March of 2024.
Dec 29, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) celebrates after a touchdown pass against the Los Angeles Rams in the first quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
| Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Cousins has been one of the more consistent quarterbacks in the NFL during his time in the league, even playing at an MVP level at times with the Minnesota Vikings. He hasn’t been that same player since tearing his Achilles, but he is still serviceable.
He reunites with Klint Kubiak, as the new Raiders’ head coach was Cousins’ quarterbacks coach for a few seasons and his offensive coordinator in 2021. Cousins played some of his best football under Kubiak, even being named a Pro Bowler the year he called plays for the QB.
Dec 26, 2021; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) in action against the Los Angeles Rams at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
But most importantly, Cousins will serve as a mentor for Mendoza. The two have similar personalities and football profiles, so they should get along nicely in the locker room.
Every rookie quarterback needs veteran support, and while that has been a sore subject of sorts for Cousins in the past, he should still offer advice for the future No. 1 pick, as he reluctantly did for Penix in Atlanta.
Jan 19, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Miami Hurricanes in the fourth quarter during the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Cousins could help the Raiders win a few games as long as he is healthy, but the current state of Kirk Cousins is not what Las Vegas is looking for. The team needs a bridge QB to hold thing down until they believe Mendoza is ready.
The Raiders made a smart move getting a capable quarterback who can usher in the next era of Silver and Black football. We’ll see what he does when he suits up.