Fernando Menodza gets a boost from an insider who is rarely wrong

The NFL preseason has officially come to an end, and teams have now finalized their 53-man rosters ahead of Week 1 of the 2026 season, which will begin on September 9 with the defending Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks , hosting the New England Patriots .

For the Las Vegas Raiders , the new campaign will begin on September 13 at home against the Miami Dolphins , although uncertainty remains at the quarterback position. Everything points to veteran Kirk Cousins being the team’s starter to open the season, while rookie Fernando Mendoza is expected to begin his NFL career as the backup.

Adam Schefter suggests Fernando Mendoza could become the starter sooner than expected

Although Cousins appears to have the starting quarterback job secured for the beginning of the season, Adam Schefter of ESPN opened the door to the possibility that Mendoza could take over the offense earlier than expected during his appearance on The Pat McAfee Show .

“I still think it’s going to be Kirk [Cousins]. I’d be surprised if it was anybody else other than Kirk at this point in time. I think that’s the way it’s been trending all along and [Fernando] Mendoza had moments in the preseason. There’s no doubt his time is coming. He’s going to be the starter. He’s going to be the face of the franchise. The question is how soon?

“I was texting with somebody yesterday. They’re like, ‘Sooner than you think.’ I’m like, really? Now, we’ll see. … I think Cousins starts the opener against the Miami Dolphins. … I think they want to go with the veteran early in the season when there are some tough games on the schedule.”

Schefter’s comments should be taken with caution, as he did not reveal the source of that information, meaning it could simply be the opinion of someone close to the team. However, his remarks have fueled speculation that Mendoza could get his opportunity sooner than expected.

There is no question about the young quarterback’s talent, and he could potentially be ready to compete from Week 1 . However, all indications are that the Raiders prefer to take a patient approach with the player they view as the future face of the franchise rather than rushing his development.

Raiders will keep three quarterbacks on their roster

Heading into their opener against Miami, Las Vegas will carry three quarterbacks on its 53-man roster after deciding to keep Aidan O’Connell , eliminating the possibility of a trade and adding more depth at the position.

While several backup quarterbacks changed teams during the final roster adjustment period, O’Connell remained in Las Vegas — a decision that makes sense for a franchise featuring a 38-year-old veteran projected to be the starter and a rookie viewed as its long-term investment.

Now, the focus will be on determining the quarterback depth chart for Week 1: whether Mendoza will serve as Cousins’ direct backup or if new Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak will choose O’Connell as the No. 2 quarterback to begin the season.