Raiders Sign Four-Time Pro Bowl QB to Mentor Top Draft Pick

Veteran Kirk Cousins joins Las Vegas to help develop young QB Fernando Mendoza

Apr. 7, 2026 at 3:20pm

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A cubist-style painting depicting a football quarterback's movements broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in a vibrant color palette, conveying the conceptual idea of a veteran player mentoring a young prospect.A veteran quarterback's mentorship role helps guide a young franchise QB's development.Las Vegas Today

The Las Vegas Raiders have signed four-time Pro Bowl quarterback Kirk Cousins as a veteran mentor for their projected 2026 first overall draft pick, Fernando Mendoza. While Mendoza is expected to be the Raiders' long-term starter, the team plans to have the 37-year-old Cousins start the 2026-27 season and guide the young quarterback's development.

Why it matters

Bringing in an experienced veteran like Cousins gives the Raiders a proven starter who can help ease the transition for their highly touted rookie quarterback Mendoza. This move provides stability at the QB position and allows the team to focus on building around their future franchise player.

The details

The Raiders officially signed Cousins on Monday after initially reporting the deal last Thursday. Cousins has enjoyed a productive 14-year NFL career, completing 3,934 passes for 44,700 yards and 298 touchdowns across stints with the Washington Commanders, Minnesota Vikings, and Atlanta Falcons.

  • The Raiders signed Cousins on Monday, April 7, 2026.
  • ESPN's Adam Schefter first reported the deal last Thursday, April 3, 2026.

The players

Kirk Cousins

A four-time Pro Bowl quarterback who has played for the Washington Commanders, Minnesota Vikings, and Atlanta Falcons over his 14-year NFL career.

Fernando Mendoza

The Las Vegas Raiders' projected 2026 first overall draft pick, expected to be their long-term starting quarterback.

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What they’re saying

“'Las Vegas Raiders now have signed unrestricted free agent QB Kirk Cousins'”

— Adam Schefter, ESPN Reporter

What’s next

The Raiders will look to have Cousins start the 2026-27 season and mentor Mendoza, with the goal of transitioning the young QB into the starting role in the coming years.

The takeaway

This move provides the Raiders with a proven veteran quarterback to guide their highly touted rookie draft pick, allowing Mendoza to develop at his own pace while still having an experienced signal-caller leading the offense in the short term.