Fernando Mendoza Welcome To Las Vegas
- Sold My Soul
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Dante Moore or Fernando Mendoza
Call your shot....or add your own.
Dante Moore:
https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/Player/Dante-Moore-QB-UCLA
Fernando Mendoza:
https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/Player/Fer ... California
May the football godz look kindly down upon the feeble and inept.

Dante Moore:
https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/Player/Dante-Moore-QB-UCLA
Fernando Mendoza:
https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/Player/Fer ... California
May the football godz look kindly down upon the feeble and inept.
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- Opoponax50
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I don't know about great, but I do think they'll be competent. We have a stud center, several IOL that appear to be decent starter material, an experienced LT, and an average RT. Assuming our O-line coaches are worth half a shit, our O-line should be at minimum be average before the season's midway point.rich72 wrote: Wed Jul 08, 2026 7:30 pm Our O-line was shit last year because Pete Carrols incompetent son was in charge of it. He isnt even a real coach. Our O-line will be great this season.
Also, Kubiak likes to run the ball. If we're decent enough at doing that, it'll mean that our rookie QB will have an advantage that most guys in the same position don't.
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So your opinion remains the same...as does mine.Opoponax50 wrote: Thu Jul 09, 2026 7:07 am Yes, he needs to get in the game and take his lumps just like everyone else has to when a starter goes down. He's a football player, not a hunting dog who won first prize at the Westminster Dog Show but will never be taken hunting because he has more value as a trophy dog.
I've said it before but it bears repeating. If the kid is third on the depth chart, it'll likely mean that O'Connell handily beat him out for the backup spot, which in turn means that something's very wrong with our #1 pick.
I think Cousins should start for an indeterminate amount of time, but how long that'll be will depend on how he's playing. He's looked pretty washed and he's immobile, but maybe that's because of coaching, the players around him, injury recovery, etc. He may come out and play very well. OTOH, maybe he comes out and is clearly not up to the job. If that's the case then we need to see what we have in Mendoza so that he begin developing.
Things are never going to be ideal for any No. 1 pick in the draft. They get picked there for a reason.
- raiderboyron
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Personally don't feel that if he's 3rd on the depth chart means we f'ed up. I fully expect him to be there on opening day barring some sort of injury mishap during camp. From pre draft til now all vibes and inclinations from the team portrays the scenario that he won't be starting. So I put him third man up.
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Attyla
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Depth charts are fluid for a reason. If he starts as the 3rd, it is because they need more time, but he will move up and onto the starting roster at some point. And just because O'Connell may end up the 2nd does not mean Mendoza will not leapfrog him at some point as well.raiderboyron wrote: Thu Jul 09, 2026 11:48 am Personally don't feel that if he's 3rd on the depth chart means we f'ed up. I fully expect him to be there on opening day barring some sort of injury mishap during camp. From pre draft til now all vibes and inclinations from the team portrays the scenario that he won't be starting. So I put him third man up.
We only f[raiders_icon]cked up if he never gets the starting job.
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Dr Death
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Too much worry/speculation about a problem that doesn't exist, IMO. Doza was picked #1 overall. He WILL play when our new, bright, shiny, awesome, very competent coach says he will play. After the last 25 miserable f[raiders_icon]cking years.... I'm fine and all in with what Coach K wants/says.
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This. I’ll worry if he looks awful repeatedly and doesn’t seem to improve. Short of that, as much as nobody wants to hear it…. This may be something of a redshirt season for Kubiak.Dr Death wrote: Thu Jul 09, 2026 1:29 pm Too much worry/speculation about a problem that doesn't exist, IMO. Doza was picked #1 overall. He WILL play when our new, bright, shiny, awesome, very competent coach says he will play. After the last 25 miserable f[raiders_icon]cking years.... I'm fine and all in with what Coach K wants/says.
No short sighted decisions to try to squeeze an extra W here or there for job security…. Build a durable foundation we can expand this offseason.
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A "red shirt season" may be a good way to describe it.raiders93 wrote: Thu Jul 09, 2026 5:23 pm This. I’ll worry if he looks awful repeatedly and doesn’t seem to improve. Short of that, as much as nobody wants to hear it…. This may be something of a redshirt season for Kubiak.
No short sighted decisions to try to squeeze an extra W here or there for job security…. Build a durable foundation we can expand this offseason.
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chucker
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I don't expect Mendoza to have a redshirt season, unless Cousins lights it up all year. And I don't expect that because I don't think he physically has what it takes to do that with his age and injury history. It doesn't bother me that Mendoza is "third" on the depth chart. You can move your #1 overall pick up the depth chart whenever you want without anyone blinking an eye. Moving him down once he's been higher leads to the media and fans freaking out and causing distractions.
Mendoza will play, and the team will be ready for it to happen.
Mendoza will play, and the team will be ready for it to happen.
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- raidersince63
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Yeah, "QB #1,2,3 is just a number and doesn't really mean a whole lot. When raiders93 said it was "something of a redshirt season", I don't think it was meant that FM won't eventually play or start at some point this year . And I don't think anyone seriously expects for Cousins to light it up and play all year and take us to the PS...I know I don't, in fact, I'd be a bit surprised if he even be on the roster next year.chucker wrote: Fri Jul 10, 2026 5:43 am I don't expect Mendoza to have a redshirt season, unless Cousins lights it up all year. And I don't expect that because I don't think he physically has what it takes to do that with his age and injury history. It doesn't bother me that Mendoza is "third" on the depth chart. You can move your #1 overall pick up the depth chart whenever you want without anyone blinking an eye. Moving him down once he's been higher leads to the media and fans freaking out and causing distractions.
Mendoza will play, and the team will be ready for it to happen.
I believe it's just that we have so many question marks going into our rebuild season #1, so management simply is taking the approach of "erring on the side of caution" and trying to protect our future starting QB.
But I also believe Mendo will surely play and may be our full time starter at some point this year...may be early in the year, may be a bit later...we'll just have to see how things work out and hope our management and coaching are as smart as we hope.
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redshirt season for Kubiak, not Mendoza. Meaning I think the timing of Mendoza going in and the state of our season are separate things. Normally the bridge is going to start until the wheels falls off… then it’s go time for the rookie.chucker wrote: Fri Jul 10, 2026 5:43 am I don't expect Mendoza to have a redshirt season, unless Cousins lights it up all year. And I don't expect that because I don't think he physically has what it takes to do that with his age and injury history. It doesn't bother me that Mendoza is "third" on the depth chart. You can move your #1 overall pick up the depth chart whenever you want without anyone blinking an eye. Moving him down once he's been higher leads to the media and fans freaking out and causing distractions.
Mendoza will play, and the team will be ready for it to happen.
I could see Kirk dragging his carcass around for much longer than anyone wants if they don’t think Mendoza is ready. I think Kubiak basically gets a pass on season standings this year with the mission being handle Mendoza’s development properly first - worry about the season standings 2nd.
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Seems lik Redshit and Mulligan got mixed up.raiders93 wrote: Fri Jul 10, 2026 12:33 pm redshirt season for Kubiak, not Mendoza. Meaning I think the timing of Mendoza going in and the state of our season are separate things. Normally the bridge is going to start until the wheels falls off… then it’s go time for the rookie.
I could see Kirk dragging his carcass around for much longer than anyone wants if they don’t think Mendoza is ready. I think Kubiak basically gets a pass on season standings this year with the mission being handle Mendoza’s development properly first - worry about the season standings 2nd.
Redshirt - didn't play.
Kubiak will be coaching, he will be fully active, it won't be a redshirt season for him.
It's possible (not probably) Mendoza doesn't play... redshirt reference.
- raiders93
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Fair correction - Mendoza = not redshirting. Kubiak gets a mulligan. I was using them interchangeably in the sense that they both kind of get a free pass on the year in terms of winning expectations.SkullCrusher wrote: Fri Jul 10, 2026 1:33 pm Seems lik Redshit and Mulligan got mixed up.
Redshirt - didn't play.
Kubiak will be coaching, he will be fully active, it won't be a redshirt season for him.
It's possible (not probably) Mendoza doesn't play... redshirt reference.
Though technically - redshirt = played in less than 5 games. Not that they didn’t play at all.
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Yup, A player may play as many as 4 games or 30% of the teams games and still qualify as a "red shirt".raiders93 wrote: Fri Jul 10, 2026 3:57 pm Fair correction - Mendoza = not redshirting. Kubiak gets a mulligan. I was using them interchangeably in the sense that they both kind of get a free pass on the year in terms of winning expectations.
Though technically - redshirt = played in less than 5 games. Not that they didn’t play at all.
- pfish57
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All this babble about throwing Mendoza to the wolves because we suck will ruin him for life is absolute BS if he is half what most of you say he is he will be okay & overcome...it's been done numerous times before lol
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We dont even know if he will be any good yet, im going to wait until I at least see how he plays in preseason before I get too hyped up. A lot of 1st qb picks bust out, so ill wait and see for now.
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