Raiderstation

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.

BoKnows81 wrote: Wed Apr 15, 2026 11:39 pm That was not said once. They haven't even said they were drafting Mendoza. In fact, Spytek just said the best guy will play.

KillerRaider30 wrote: Thu Apr 16, 2026 3:45 am

Yea and? Did I miss him say Mendoza? Did Spytek not just say "the best guy will play"?

BoKnows81 wrote: Thu Apr 16, 2026 3:57 am Yea and? Did I miss him say Mendoza? Did Spytek not just say "the best guy will play"?

The responses leading up to yer post were about Mendoza being red shirted y1, but yes, nobody knows whos going #1.
My bad I thought it was a given the Raiders would select Mendoza.

KillerRaider30 wrote: Thu Apr 16, 2026 4:36 am The responses leading up to yer post were about Mendoza being red shirted y1, but yes, nobody knows whos going #1.
My bad I thought it was a given the Raiders would select Mendoza.

It is a given. But I've maintained that Mendoza will be the better QB out of the gate over Cousins. Now, if we drafted Simpson or one of those other guys, a bridge makes sense.

Thrashing of another deceased equine.

BoKnows81 wrote: Wed Apr 15, 2026 11:39 pm That was not said once. They haven't even said they were drafting Mendoza. In fact, Spytek just said the best guy will play.

Okay

It's going to be long hill to climb for Mendoza to get the opening day nod over Cousins. We're talking about a veteran QB who has experienced relatively good success over the course of a 14 year career. Certainly, if he isn't already washed, he will be soon, but he knows NFL defenses and he knows the speed of the game.

I've said it before but I'll say it again: Elway got benched for 4 games in his rookie season and he said it's the best thing that ever happened with respect to his future success. He was clearly more talented than Steve Deberg but he needed the time to sit back and absorb the scheme and speed of the game.

I see nothing wrong with letting a guy who's going to potentially be our starter for the next decade or more sitting for half a season in order to set him up for future success. By game 8, many of the kinks should be worked out so that our shiny new QB doesn't look like a plane crash survivor halfway into his rookie season.

Anyone thinking Fernando sits for a whole ass year behind a Kirk Cousins is out of their mind. Kirk has had multiple injuries the last 3 years. His play has been up and down. Fernando is about as ready as it gets for a rookie QB to play. Put all those variables together and do the math. A much better thought process would be the running game and how it comes together. That's the biggest key of the whole offseason

Opoponax50 wrote: Thu Apr 16, 2026 8:44 am It's going to be long hill to climb for Mendoza to get the opening day nod over Cousins. We're talking about a veteran QB who has experienced relatively good success over the course of a 14 year career. Certainly, if he isn't already washed, he will be soon, but he knows NFL defenses and he knows the speed of the game.

I've said it before but I'll say it again: Elway got benched for 4 games in his rookie season and he said it's the best thing that ever happened with respect to his future success. He was clearly more talented than Steve Deberg but he needed the time to sit back and absorb the scheme and speed of the game.

I see nothing wrong with letting a guy who's going to potentially be our starter for the next decade or more sitting for half a season in order to set him up for future success. By game 8, many of the kinks should be worked out so that our shiny new QB doesn't look like a plane crash survivor halfway into his rookie season.

Lost to Raiders 22-7...

123/259 completions, 1,663 passing yards, 7 TDs, 14 INTs. his first season.

a passer rating of 54.9

Goodtimes333 wrote: Thu Apr 16, 2026 8:46 am Anyone thinking Fernando sits for a whole ass year behind a Kirk Cousins is out of their mind. Kirk has had multiple injuries the last 3 years. His play has been up and down. Fernando is about as ready as it gets for a rookie QB to play. Put all those variables together and do the math. A much better thought process would be the running game and how it comes together. That's the biggest key of the whole offseason

Not sure but I think it was meant as a joke.

When is our bye week may come into play for FM to start.

Opoponax50 wrote: Thu Apr 16, 2026 8:44 am It's going to be long hill to climb for Mendoza to get the opening day nod over Cousins. We're talking about a veteran QB who has experienced relatively good success over the course of a 14 year career. Certainly, if he isn't already washed, he will be soon, but he knows NFL defenses and he knows the speed of the game.

I've said it before but I'll say it again: Elway got benched for 4 games in his rookie season and he said it's the best thing that ever happened with respect to his future success. He was clearly more talented than Steve Deberg but he needed the time to sit back and absorb the scheme and speed of the game.

I see nothing wrong with letting a guy who's going to potentially be our starter for the next decade or more sitting for half a season in order to set him up for future success. By game 8, many of the kinks should be worked out so that our shiny new QB doesn't look like a plane crash survivor halfway into his rookie season.

To say he's a better qb than Cousins is, is pretty far off base. Like you said, one has carved out a long career and one hasn't stepped foot on a field let alone be drafted yet

Mendoza is certainly going to need to learn alot. One thing is taking snaps under center. People may blow that off as nothing but it's certainly different than lining up in the gun every play. Running play action from under center is completely different than running it from the gun

Mendoza has the talent and mind set to succeed but we need to pump the brakes on the hype train a bit. The staff has continually said they prefer a rookie( at any position) to sit and learn but they are obviously smart enough to start that guy if he's ready. Unless Mendoza lights up camp & preseason and then has no issues when the real bullets start flying in the regular season, sure he's going to be playing. But I believe we won't see him take a meaningful snap for at least the first month of the season barring injury to Cousins

Nor_Cal_Raider wrote: Thu Apr 16, 2026 9:18 am When is our bye week may come into play for FM to start.

We wont know until the schedule come out in a few weeks. I'm curious as well.