Las Vegas Raiders fans are finally going to get to see Fernando Mendoza in action. He’s set to play in the Raiders’ preseason opener against the Arizona Cardinals. Though it’s unclear whether Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, will start Thursday night, Klint Kubiak confirmed Mendoza would get to see some action in the first preseason game of the season. Considering Mendoza is not exactly in line to start for the Raiders in Week 1, this is a great sign in respect to his development and continued adjustment into the NFL.
To make it more interesting, it could be a rematch of the national championship quarterbacks with Carson Beck likely to get more action after a standout performance in the Hall of Fame game last week.
"I look forward to seeing him out there with his teammates. (There) are a lot of guys that we need to evaluate, but he will get plenty of reps," Kubiak said, per an ESPN story.
Why Fernando Mendoza getting “plenty of reps” in preseason opener is a good sign
The Raiders have treated Mendoza with the utmost patience. They are not forcing him into the starting role just because he was the No. 1 overall pick. They went and signed Kirk Cousins this offseason for a veteran leader, mentor to Mendoza and to have a player ready to start Week 1 to take the pressure off the rookie. That said, if Kubiak wants to give Mendoza extended time during the preseason, that will help him work through some early kinks.
Yes the preseason game plan is watered down and defenses aren’t really running exotic schemes. It’s more of a chance to get reps, which is arguably, just as important as seeing full schemes during the game. According to Vincent Bonsignore of the California Post, Cousins hasn’t won the job outright. Every chance Mendoza gets during the preseason is a chance for him to show he’s ready for Week 1.
There's actually a real QB battle in @Raiders camp.
— Vincent Bonsignore (@VinnyBonsignore) August 12, 2026
I still believe Kirk gets the opener, but it's not etched in stone. Fernando has a real chance to win the job. https://t.co/yiwr3JgaDa
Just because it’s a true quarterback battle doesn’t mean the preseason will change that either. The most important thing is that Mendoza gains the trust of the coaching staff that he’s absolutely ready to lead this offense; both physically and mentally.
Fernando Mendoza could learn from Haynes King, Carson Beck preseason breakout performances
If you were glued into the Hall of Fame game longer than you anticipated last week, that’s because you were treated to a good game and a surprisingly good quarterback matchup. Mendoza could learn from Beck and Haynes King’s preseason debut’s. Neither quarterback is contending for the starting job, but both made strong arguments to be reputable backup options. Mendoza’s situation is a little different in the sense that he’s proving he’s ready to be the starter.
Mendoza made very few mistakes and his preseason debut could be his “Welcome to the NFL” moment that humbles him. It’s good to get that out of the way in the preseason because it makes the transition so much better over the next month before the season starts. Every chance Mendoza gets is important this preseason so the fact that he’s going to get plenty of reps on Thursday proves he’s entirely in control of his fate for the season opener.
If Fernando Mendoza doesn’t win the job, it’s still a win
Mendoza doesn’t have to win the starting job through the preseason, he just has to show progress and give the coaching staff confidence he’s their future. That’s what the preseason should be about for Mendoza. He knows that regardless of how long Cousins has the starting job, he’s the quarterback for the future in Las Vegas. Anything he does before then is simply expediting when he gets the starting role.
Getting game action will always be beneficial when it comes to the preseason. He’s already talked about how he wants to absorb as much as he can before he takes the starting job. The bulk of that goes through the preseason. Just like Beck and King weren’t proving they’re starting caliber, Mendoza doesn’t either. He just has to prove the Raiders were right to draft him. He’s their future, it doesn’t mean he has to start right away.
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