Getty
Las Vegas Raiders QB Kirk Cousins.
The Las Vegas Raiders decided they couldn’t go into the 2026 season with Geno Smith still on the roster. They traded a third-round pick for him last year and signed him to a two-year contract extension, but thought it was best to send him elsewhere.
The Raiders are projected to use the No. 1 pick to select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, but they aren’t eager to name him the starter. That’s why the team decided to sign Kirk Cousins.
Raiders players haven’t said a lot about the signing yet, but veteran wide receiver Phillip Dorsett was excited to see the former Pro Bowler join him in Las Vegas.
Dorsett has actually been teammates with Cousins before when he was on the Atlanta Falcons‘ practice squad in 2024. Dorsett didn’t play any games that season, so it’s unclear if the two have much of a relationship, but the wide receiver is clearly happy.
Cousins has always been a player whom teammates have loved, so many players on the roster are likely excited to see him come to Las Vegas. It’ll be interesting to see just how long the Raiders plan for him to be the guy while Mendoza waits in the wings.
How Does Cousins Fit With Raiders?
The Cousins signing was rumored for a while due to the quarterback’s previous ties to Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak. The team wasn’t shy about wanting a veteran quarterback, and Cousins was the most logical option.
He’s not the same player he was earlier in his career, but he’s still really intelligent and a strong leader. USA Today’s Jacob Camenker explained how Cousins fits with the Raiders.
“Cousins’ performance wasn’t enough to convince the Falcons to keep him for another season. Atlanta released him at the start of the new league year to give him the opportunity to seek a new NFL home,” Camenker wrote. “Ultimately, Cousins landed with the Raiders, where he will provide veteran depth as the team seems set to draft Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
“Cousins could step in as a veteran starter for Klint Kubiak’s team, allowing Mendoza the opportunity to adjust and learn about the professional game.”
Can Cousins Start the Whole Season?
Since the Raiders gave Cousins a contract that’s effectively one-year, $20 million fully guaranteed, it’s easy to see why he took the deal. However, this may not have been the best spot for him if he wanted to win and/or start every game.
The Raiders were the worst team in the NFL last season, and while they’ve already done a lot to improve the roster in free agency, it is still a roster that isn’t heavy on talent and depth. If the Raiders start the season ugly, there’s going to be a lot of pressure to start Mendoza.
He’s going to be the No. 1 pick, and those players typically play a lot as rookies if they’re healthy. We’ve seen a lot of teams say they’re going to start a veteran and not rush the rookie until they fold over. It’s going to be very difficult for Cousins to hold onto the starting job all season.
Austin Boyd has covered the Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Lakers for Heavy.com since 2019. A Los Angeles native now based in Las Vegas, his featured work at Heavy includes interviews with NFL stars Darren Waller and Joe Montana, and a behind-the-scenes look at “The Shop.” More about Austin Boyd
More Heavy on Raiders
Loading more stories