The Las Vegas Raiders probably have plans of drafting Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick, but they have also been searching for a quarterback in free agency. After rumors of having interest, the Raiders have agreed to a contract with Kirk Cousins, according to his agent, Mike McCartney.
Congrats [Kirk Cousins] agreeing to a contract with the [Raiders],” McCartney wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Cousins also had interest from other teams such as the Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, and Green Bay Packers, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic.
The Raiders always felt like the best choice for Cousins because he has a chance to start in some games this season, depending on how they plan on bringing Mendoza along in the system. They could start Cousins for the first few games, and then start Mendoza, or they could start Mendoza outright, and if he ever struggles during the season, Cousins can come in for some games.
Cousins has noted that he wanted to be a starter, which is ultimately what left a bad taste in his mouth after his first season with the Falcons when they made Michael Penix Jr. the starter. Many thought that the Falcons would trade him last offseason or during the season, but they didn’t want to take the huge cap hit.
In the end, Cousins did start for the Falcons toward the end of the season after Penix went down with a knee injury, and they were one win away from making it to the playoffs.
It’s uncertain if he’ll be able to do the same thing with the Raiders, but he’s at least shown that he can help a team get a win when he’s the starter.
Cousins should also be a good mentor this season if the Raiders choose to select Mendoza.
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