Fernando Mendoza reveals true thoughts on Kirk Cousins as Raiders weigh $57m QB decision

Kirk Cousins is running out of time in Las Vegas. Even if the Raiders keep the veteran quarterback after Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline, it’s clear that Fernando Mendoza is getting closer to taking over as Las Vegas’ starting QB . A 3-0 start has been replaced by a 1-5 slide, while Raiders minority owner Tom Brady has more free time after dropping his professional football attachment to Birmingham City . With the deadline looming and the Raiders (4-5) preparing for another tough game against the Seattle Seahawks , Mendoza recently discussed his opinion of the 38-year-old Cousins. An interesting comparison followed involving Star Wars, Yoda and the power of The Force. “I love Star Wars,” Mendoza told The Athletic , while playing on a $57 million rookie contract. “I think it’s like (Cousins is) Master Yoda out there, and I’m trying to get all the information from him. He’s playing at an MVP-caliber level, and him being so receptive to me, and answering all my questions, and looking out for me is super special. He’s stuck his neck out for me and really helped me along the way.” Cousins is not truly playing at an MVP-caliber level, as Mendoza suggests. The 15-year pro is coming off a rough outing during a 38-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, which saw Cousins throw three interceptions and post a 58.9 passer rating. But the Raiders have stated several times that they’re in no rush to start Mendoza , who was the No. 1 overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft after a perfect championship season at Indiana . “There’s a lot of pressure put on teams when they draft a guy No. 1 that you have to play him right away,” Mark Davis told the Las Vegas Review-Journal . “That’s why I think we were so fortunate to get Kirk Cousins as someone who could bridge the gap and let this young man learn a lot about what football is in the pros — the speed of the game and the things that have to be done. “And he’s picking it up great. But I think we’re fortunate he doesn’t have to go out and play.” Cousins ranks fifth in the NFL this season in passing yards (2,340) but he’s thrown eight interceptions and is 12th in QB rating (62.8). Still, the veteran QB has played well enough for the Raiders to be above .500. Mendoza has barely taken the field in 2026, completing 6-of-8 passes for 48 yards in mop-up duty. “I’ve seen quarterbacks get fast-tracked onto the field and they may do well, but they don’t learn all the intricacies of footwork and everything else it takes,” Davis said. “So they’re limited in their development, maybe throughout their career. I’m really happy with the way it is with Fernando right now, and we’ll see what happens.” The Raiders’ next three games are against tough defenses (Seattle, Denver, Cleveland). A bye week follows, which could set up Mendoza to make his starting debut in Week 14 vs the currently winless Los Angeles Chargers. That would potentially give the No. 1 pick three more games to watch and learn from Master Yoda in Las Vegas. Sign up for talkSPORT Stateside , the YouTube channel dedicated to passionate US Sports fans. Will Gavin, Brian T. Smith, former NFL star Efe Obada and a collection of special guests debate the biggest talking points across the NFL, soccer, NBA and more.