ESPN’s Dan Graziano writes that the Raiders are 100 percent serious about not starting first-round QB Fernando Mendoza before they believe he’s ready, and that could mean QB Aidan O’Connell gets the nod as the primary backup behind veteran QB Kirk Cousins to start the season.
Graziano also says he thinks it could be November before the Raiders start thinking about inserting Mendoza into the starting lineup.
He explains that minority owner Tom Brady has been a vocal and influential voice in the building advocating for the value of a young quarterback starting out on the bench.
Per Graziano, the Raiders want to ensure they have things figured out on offense to be ready for Mendoza, and that he has time to work on certain areas of his game without feeling the pressure of being the starter.
With Cousins and O’Connell, the Raiders have two established alternatives to Mendoza to give him that luxury of time.
O’Connell, 28, was a three-year starter at Purdue and was named second-team All-Big 10 in his final two seasons. He was drafted by the Raiders with the No. 135 pick in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
He signed a four-year, $3.84 million rookie contract that included a signing bonus of $509,380. He’s slated to be an unrestricted free agent in 2027.
In 2024, O’Connell appeared in nine games for the Raiders and completed 63.4 percent of his passes for 1,612 yards to go with eight touchdowns and four interceptions.
Mendoza, 22, began his college career at Cal and became the starter as a redshirt freshman. He transferred to Indiana after two seasons and won a national championship and the Heisman Trophy.
The Raiders selected Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. He signed a four-year, $57.271 million fully guaranteed rookie contract that included a $38.112 million signing bonus. The deal also includes a fifth-year option for the Raiders to decide on in 2029.
In 2025, Mendoza started 16 games for the Hoosiers and completed 72 percent of his pass attempts for 3,535 yards, 41 touchdowns and six interceptions. He added 90 rushes for 276 yards and seven touchdowns.
We’ll have more on the Raiders’ quarterback situation as the news is available.
Follow NFL Trade Rumors on X.com and FACEBOOK for breaking NFL News and Rumors for all 32 teams!
