Time Las Vegas Raiders Going with the No. 1 overall pick at the end of last season ticked all the boxes Fernando Mendoza From the 1st day, he became the team’s starting line-up. However, the franchise surprised many with the signing. Kirk Cousins before NFL drafta move that raised many questions about the plan for the young signal caller.
As the weeks passed, the strategy became clear. New head coach Clint Kubiak He chose to bring Mendoza with patience. Worked with Cousins before Minnesota VikingsKubiak knew exactly what the veteran could provide and opted to rely on his experience while the rookie continued his development.
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The decision paid off. Cousins is closed for now NFL He leads the way with 14 touchdown passes, while Mendoza had just one game in the loss New England Patriotswith no real pressure to replace the veteran.
Raiders owner Mark Davis is in no rush either. After the franchise used a first-round pick on a quarterback for the first time in years, Davis is confident Mendoza is the future of the organization and says he’s thrilled with the rookie’s progress.
“I love his work ethic” Davis told The New York Post. “I love that he’s like a sponge in terms of learning.”
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Mark Davis is confident in Fernando Mendoza’s potential
Cousins’ strong play put to rest any debate about a quarterback change. However, at 38, the veteran isn’t part of the Raiders’ long-term plans.
So much of the franchise’s future rests on Mendoza’s development, and Davis is particularly impressed with the young quarterback’s mindset and ambition.
“He wants to be the greatest. He enjoys the game, he’s competitive. He’s got everything you can think of,” Davis said.
The Raiders owner is confident of the No. 1 overall pick.
“If he can play football, he’ll be great,” Davis said.
When will Mendoza get his chance?
The Raiders find themselves in a tough spot after dropping three straight games to fall to 3-3, though Cousins’ performance can’t be blamed on the team’s struggles.
As long as the veteran continues to play at a high level, it will be difficult to justify a trade. However, if Las Vegas falls out of the playoff race, giving Mendoza more snaps to accelerate his development could be a logical move. The difficulty is that once a new player takes over the attack, it will be difficult to go back to the previous plan.
That’s why the Raiders are staying patient.
Moreover, the current offensive situation is not ideal for a rookie player. The team struggled to establish a consistent running game, which was a key part of Mendoza’s success at Indiana. The Raiders also continue to have major questions along the offensive line and at wide receiver.
For now, letting Mendoza continue to learn on the sidelines seems like the smartest approach. He will have time to strengthen the organization’s offensive line, upgrade the receiving corps and build a more reliable rushing attack before handing him the keys to the offense. However, if the Raiders are completely out of playoff contention, the young quarterback’s first career start could come sooner than expected.