NFL Assistant Coach, Dan Graziano, has predicted that the Las Vegas Raiders will not rush Fernando Mendoza into the regular season if Kirk Cousins is injured in the preseason. The AFC assistant coach believes Aidan O'Connell would start the season as the Raiders starting quarterback over Mendoaza. The Raiders, who recently acquired MendoZA with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 draft, want him to get as much of a developmental runway as possible. The primary reason for this caution is Mendoz playing a lot as a rookie due to his experience at Indiana's RPO-heavy scheme. Despite this, it is rare for a first-round pick to play a lot in the NFL as a young player.