The Las Vegas Raiders hired head coach Klint Kubiak and drafted Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick to fix their offense.
However, unlike most teams in today’s game, they’re taking things slowly with their prized quarterback.
Mendoza is promising but unpolished in terms of under-center play, and with a proven veteran like Kirk Cousins in the building, there’s no need to rush the reigning Heisman trophy winner.
That’s why, according to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, the Raiders are planning to have Mendoza sit for the whole season if possible.
Raiders won’t start Fernando Mendoza this season
“The way they’re hoping for it to all be, is for Kirk Cousins to be the starter at the beginning of the season, throughout the season, and the end of the season,” Rapoport said on “The Insiders.”
Of course, this is somewhat underwhelming and disappointing for those who wanted to see the first player taken off the board set foot on the gridiron this season.
Nevertheless, this might be the best and wisest approach to this situation, all things considered.
Mendoza barely played under center in college, and that’s a huge part of a pro’s offense. The Raiders know they’re still at least another year away from contention, so there’s no need to throw him into the fire right now.
Instead, they can work on his game, mold him and put him in a position to succeed for when he’s actually ready.
And while plans can always change in this line of business, it looks like this will be a red-shirt campaign for the former Hoosier.
