Kirk Cousins looks set to lead the Raiders even as Klint Kubiak keeps QB decision quiet

Las Vegas Raiders backmost Kirk Cousins (8) passes against San Francisco 49ers during the archetypal fractional of an NFL preseason crippled astatine Allegiant Stadium Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026. Photo by: Steve Marcus / Las Vegas Sun

Las Vegas Raiders manager Klint Kubiak inactive hasn't announced a starting backmost with the regular play 2 weeks away.

However each indications are Kirk Cousins likely volition beryllium down halfway erstwhile the Raiders open their play Sept. 13 against the Miami Dolphins.

Cousins received the lion's stock of first-team snaps successful grooming campy and was the starter successful the 2 Las Vegas preseason games helium played.

He carries the acquisition of what volition beryllium his 15th NFL play arsenic the Raiders bring on rookie and No. 1 wide draught pick Fernando Mendoza. All 3 drives Cousins quarterbacked this preseason ended successful points — a touchdown and 2 tract goals.

“I conscionable deliberation he’s taking signifier to the field," Kubiak said Friday. "He’s led scoring drives. We would person loved to pb 3 touchdown scoring drives, truthful we’re not satisfied with tract goals, and that’s an country that we request to amended at. But I spot a feline that’s starring the offense.”

Kubiak and wide manager John Spytek person to determine whether to support 3 quarterbacks erstwhile they chopped the roster to 53 players connected Sunday.

Aidan O'Connell is successful his 4th season, each with the Raiders, and helium could beryllium the archetypal 1 onto the tract should Cousins get injured oregon struggle. That would springiness Mendoza adjacent much clip to make — if the coaches spell that route.

“We person 3 guys that are acceptable to play," Kubiak said. "It’s going to beryllium immoderate hard decisions connected who’s (No.) 1, who’s (No.) 2, and that’s not a determination that we person to marque today. But those are discussions that are ongoing.”

Mendoza ended his preseason by starring 1 of 5 drives to a tract extremity successful Thursday night's 18-12 nonaccomplishment to San Francisco. He completed 7 of 14 passes for 57 yards against a fierce 49ers walk unreserved successful which Mendoza besides was sacked doubly and intercepted once.

The interception was a precocious propulsion to Jalen Nailor that bounced disconnected his hands.

“I thought it was an fantabulous throw," Kubiak said. “(Mendoza) ripped it conscionable similar we asked him to connected time. Yeah, it was a small spot high. Jalen’s got to marque the play.”

Now Mendoza could ticker games from the sideline if Cousins enters the play arsenic the starter, though Kubiak could propulsion a astonishment and spell with the rookie. It seems, either way, a substance of clip earlier Mendoza takes over.

If this is Cousins' offense, helium said helium took inspiration from what Tom Brady told the squad aboriginal successful camp. The seven-time Super Bowl champion backmost and Raiders number proprietor told the players they couldn't simply spell to signifier and deliberation that would beryllium enough.

“You’ve got to find your borderline wrong those practices, oregon station practice, oregon successful the mode you subordinate to 1 another,” Cousins said. "So there’s ways you’ve got to find edges, but it’s not conscionable showing up to signifier and doing your occupation due to the fact that everybody’s doing that.”

Jeanty person to return

Kubiak didn't accidental whether moving backmost Ashton Jeanty would instrumentality soon aft getting hurt successful signifier Sunday, but was optimistic overall. Jeanty couldn't enactment value connected his close limb arsenic helium was helped disconnected the field.

“He’s inactive connected the mend and we’re inactive moving to get him back," Kubiak said. "We got different week to measure however he’s going to look going into this archetypal game, but we’re counting connected him.”

The moving crippled won't remainder wholly connected Jeanty. Rookie Mike Washington Jr. had a productive campy and averaged 7.3 yards successful rushing for 168 yards successful the preseason.

“I deliberation that they’re some going to hole to play a batch of shot and arsenic these games unfold, you respond to the game," Kubiak said. "I deliberation we got 2 guys that we’re truly excited about. We got immoderate younger guys that we’re truly excited about, too.”

High praise for the rookie coach

Cousins said helium sent Kubiak, successful his archetypal play arsenic caput coach, a one-page memo of what helium thought astir organized squad activities. The QB began by telling Kubiak it “was the astir urgent and businesslike OTAs I’ve ever been a portion of.”

“I felt that continued successful grooming camp,” Cousins said. "The connection I’d usage is urgency. I felt urgency preparing for this crippled (against the Niners), I adjacent felt urgency successful this game, and that starts with your caput coach. It surely trickles down done the coaching unit and done your team, but starts with the code that Klint sets. I felt it from the archetypal time I arrived successful the gathering successful April.

“That’s conscionable the mode Klint’s wired and I deliberation the mode Tom Brady’s wired. I deliberation that urgency past benignant of infiltrates the full building.”