The Las Vegas Raiders have made one of the most important offseason upgrades at the quarterback position by reshaping their offensive side with a Heisman trophy winner, and the effects are showing already.

The Raiders selected Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. With the addition of the new QB to the team, the franchise has now been ranked 2nd in the ‘10 biggest position upgrades’ by ESPN’s Ben Solak.

 “There isn't much analysis to give here. Kirk Cousins and Geno Smith are fairly similar QBs at this stage in their respective careers,” Solak wrote on Friday. “ But add in the enormous boost of first pick Fernando Mendoza, and the Raiders' QB room is much stronger than it was last season.” 

Mendoza’s skill is a perfect fit for Klint Kubiak as the Heisman trophy winner comes with great expectations to Las Vegas.

Among ESPN's biggest position upgrades heading into the season, Arizona landed the top spot after adding Jeremiyah Love and Tyler Allgeier to a backfield that previously leaned on Michael Carter and Emari Demercado.

The Raiders followed at No. 2 on the list, while the Commanders rounded out the top three thanks to their linebacker reinforcements.

In the last season, Mendoza has recorded a PFF grade of 87.9, ranking 30th among 302 QBs, recording 2,758 passing yards and 32 touchdowns.

The Raiders are not in a hurry, as it will be Mendoza's rookie season with quarterback Kirk Cousins by his side, and even as his mentor with the experience the former Falcons quarterback brings to the team.

Mendoza has already shown the kind of commitment coaches love to see. The rookie notably skipped Indiana’s White House visit with his former teammates, choosing instead to report for his first day of OTAs with the Raiders.

As he explained, missing practice as a rookie would have sent the wrong message.

That mindset alone will not hand him the starting job. But Mendoza’s dedication has been noticeable. The Raiders may find themselves looking at a legitimate QB1 candidate sooner than expected, perhaps even as early as 2026

Could Fernando Mendoza Take Over as Raiders’ Starting QB in 2026?

The Las Vegas Raiders are weighing experience against youth as they shape their quarterback plan for the 2026 season. If Mendoza does emerge as the Raiders' starter, his divisional matchups will quickly become must-watch affairs.

Mendoza is set to face off twice against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, first on October 4 before a Week 17 regular-season finale on January 10, 2027.

As per Heavy.com, while the Raiders stay more comfortable starting Kirk Cousins early in the season, they even expected to keep a close watch on Mendoza’s progress and decide later when he is ready to take over or not.

Speaking on the May 29 episode of ‘Derek & Decker’ on 97.1 The Fan, analyst Cody Decker shared his view on when the Raiders might hand Mendoza the job. He pointed to a possible mid-season change based on schedule difficulty.

“I don’t want to see him against the Chiefs on Oct. 4,..However, Nov. 1 is circled. I’m just saying the Nov. 1 game is one I have penciled in and circled as,” Decker said on Friday.”  ” Maybe where we go ahead and throw Fernando out there because I’m more than happy to see him against the Jets.”

The idea reflects the Raiders’ approach of easing Mendoza into the league instead of rushing him. If he develops in practice and learns the system under head coach Klint Kubiak, he could close the gap on Cousins sooner. For now, the team continues to evaluate both options.

How do you think Mendoza's impact can boost the Raiders' performance? Let us know!

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Written by

Shreya Mishra

Edited by

Aadesh Dhote