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.

Attyla wrote: Sat Aug 22, 2026 1:31 pm I can see receiver in the first round because NT's usually don't fall much in the first so getting one in the second really is an option at getting a day one starter. And this next draft, while not deep per se is top heavy with good talent. With the log jam of QB's likely next year, it is going to push down good talent. Top end of the second should be loaded with some good options.

IF Smith falls due to QBs rising, I can’t see us not taking him. But if he’s not there, getting something like Stone DL, and Becker WR, is very doable. Those are basically the two scenarios I’d like to see play out.

Having said that, there’s still the large possibility that we need a legitimate starter at the RT spot.

raiders93 wrote: Fri Aug 21, 2026 7:36 pm Anyone else feel like the odds of Mendo starting week 1 have gone up considerably? Considering kubes was pretty gung ho on Kirk initially and now it’s unannounced… the silence speaks volumes on that one

I think there is practically zero chance he starts game 1. I do hope he's starting by mid season some time though.

GoodTimeCharlie wrote: Sat Aug 22, 2026 9:44 pm IF Smith falls due to QBs rising, I can’t see us not taking him. But if he’s not there, getting something like Stone DL, and Becker WR, is very doable. Those are basically the two scenarios I’d like to see play out.

Having said that, there’s still the large possibility that we need a legitimate starter at the RT spot.

The draft next year will be loaded at QB, edge rushers and WR. The good news there is those are positions teams will focus on year in and year out. NT will be top heavy (I am actually arguing against my position in the draft next year) but will have some hidden gems. I can make a case that 7 or more QBs go in the first round, 4 or so receivers and an equal number of edge being taken. That is literally half of the picks in the round. Waltersports (who I personally like although others do not) has Manning, Moore, CJ Carr, Mestemaker, Sellers, Leavitt, Sorsby, Mateer, Mensah and Lamaleava and possible 1st round QBs. This is obviously dependent upon how they play in 2026 and if they all came out (way doubtful) and no way 10 QBs would go in the first. But it is an interesting crop of players. We all know that Mendoza was not on many people's radar going into last year. But by October he started getting serious attention. We saw Mateer fall off a cliff and Moore climb quickly. If Mendoza pans out this season, we are in a prime position given the fire power in next years draft to get a really good player in the first and second rounds. Maybe our turn is coming.

The NIL money the players in college are making these days why would anyone come out of college before 4 years? Only reason to go would be being practically guaranteed to be top 5 to top 10 pick. Other than that stay in college and get that crazy nil money.

Damn, TB believes…

”Tom Brady secured a rare collectible tied to his team. The Las Vegas Raiders part-owner purchased a one-of-one Fernando Mendoza rookie card. Business partner Chris Costa called the price life-altering for most people.”

https://www.totalprosports.com/nfl/las- ... okie-card/

GoodTimeCharlie wrote: Mon Aug 24, 2026 6:33 pm Damn, TB believes…

”Tom Brady secured a rare collectible tied to his team. The Las Vegas Raiders part-owner purchased a one-of-one Fernando Mendoza rookie card. Business partner Chris Costa called the price life-altering for most people.”

https://www.totalprosports.com/nfl/las- ... okie-card/

Wonder what the "life altering price" was?

raidersince63 wrote: Mon Aug 24, 2026 7:17 pm Wonder what the "life altering price" was?

Only thing I found was an unconfirmed 100k-ish. I suppose “life-altering” is a safe description. Allows one to take a little stress off the table for a year or two.

On a positive note even though hes having some bumps, Mendoza does already look better than Cam Ward

Hoping for a better 3rd preseason game from Mendoza but I found these stats that grade him so far;

"The Raiders have given Fernando Mendoza nine drives across two preseason games, and one problem has stuck out. He is struggling under pressure.

According to Warren Sharp, Mendoza has been pressured on 13 of his dropbacks. He has completed just 4 of 11 passes while being sacked twice and throwing an interception. Mendoza ranks 44th in EPA per attempt when pressured and 42nd in completion percentage out of the 45 qualified preseason quarterbacks."

raidersince63 wrote: Wed Aug 26, 2026 4:00 am Hoping for a better 3rd preseason game from Mendoza but I found these stats that grade him so far;

"The Raiders have given Fernando Mendoza nine drives across two preseason games, and one problem has stuck out. He is struggling under pressure.

According to Warren Sharp, Mendoza has been pressured on 13 of his dropbacks. He has completed just 4 of 11 passes while being sacked twice and throwing an interception. Mendoza ranks 44th in EPA per attempt when pressured and 42nd in completion percentage out of the 45 qualified preseason quarterbacks."

Makes sense. He’s had all of a handful of series in 2 preseason games and 1 NFL training camp. He’s witnessing the speed of NFL Defenses while starting plays 3 to 5 steps closer to ‘em than he’s used to. He’s no longer behind a line that mauled all but Ohio State and Miami.

That’s why I’ve had no qualms with Kubiak (and maybe Brady) letting him “get up to speed”. Some things just can’t be rushed. Heck, Kubiak just shepherded a QB to a Super Bowl win that said, he was “seeing ghosts” in his 2nd year as a starter.

Mendo will get there, of that I have no doubt. It was 18 games before TB grabbed the starting job and never looked back. Unless Cousins and the Raiders are gangbusters, it still feels to me like the earliest we see Mendo get significant time with the 1’s is Week 8 against G..G..G..Geno and the Jets.

GoodTimeCharlie wrote: Wed Aug 26, 2026 7:52 am Makes sense. He’s had all of a handful of series in 2 preseason games and 1 NFL training camp. He’s witnessing the speed of NFL Defenses while starting plays 3 to 5 steps closer to ‘em than he’s used to. He’s no longer behind a line that mauled all but Ohio State and Miami.

That’s why I’ve had no qualms with Kubiak (and maybe Brady) letting him “get up to speed”. Some things just can’t be rushed. Heck, Kubiak just shepherded a QB to a Super Bowl win that said, he was “seeing ghosts” in his 2nd year as a starter.

Mendo will get there, of that I have no doubt. It was 18 games before TB grabbed the starting job and never looked back. Unless Cousins and the Raiders are gangbusters, it still feels to me like the earliest we see Mendo get significant time with the 1’s is Week 8 against G..G..G..Geno and the Jets.

Same...Mendoza certainly has the tools, physically and intelligence-wise and he'll surely grow into everything we believe him to eventually be.

The contrast between the college talent level and the NFL is black and white and usually when the draftee that hits the ground running, it's because he's already surrounded by a pretty good cast of established team mates.

I too believe Mendo will be "given the keys" around mid season unless Cousins has us in the PS race which is unlikely. If/when Mendoza does take over I see Cousins traded before the deadline.

raidersince63 wrote: Wed Aug 26, 2026 4:00 am Hoping for a better 3rd preseason game from Mendoza but I found these stats that grade him so far;

"The Raiders have given Fernando Mendoza nine drives across two preseason games, and one problem has stuck out. He is struggling under pressure.

According to Warren Sharp, Mendoza has been pressured on 13 of his dropbacks. He has completed just 4 of 11 passes while being sacked twice and throwing an interception. Mendoza ranks 44th in EPA per attempt when pressured and 42nd in completion percentage out of the 45 qualified preseason quarterbacks."

Do these stats take into consideration how quick the pass rush got to them or, if there was even a receiving option open? That’s I think a lot of stats or “experts” never go into detail about. If a receiver was never open, is that the QBs fault?

Not saying Mendo’s been perfect but, he’s looked good to me, even under pressure. How he’s looked poised, thrown some good balls that weren’t caught, navigated the pocket, etc. I’d go out on a limb, that given the whole picture, I wouldn’t rate him next to dead last handling pressure so far, in preseason. & this is still only his first handful of snaps anyway

DanKD wrote: Tue Aug 25, 2026 10:01 am On a positive note even though hes having some bumps, Mendoza does already look better than Cam Ward

Definitely. The fact that the talking heads were insisting he was on the same level as Ward prospect wise always irritated the hell out of me as I thought it was clear that Mendoza was superior.

Don't get too upset all, because the 49ers are probably going to beat the hell out of the Raiders. 49ers have looked strong in their preseason games. Remember its just preseason don't go completely insane over it. wait till the first 3-4 reg season games before losing your mind

ELCAraiderfan wrote: Wed Aug 26, 2026 4:19 pm Don't get too upset all, because the 49ers are probably going to beat the hell out of the Raiders. 49ers have looked strong in their preseason games. Remember its just preseason don't go completely insane over it. wait till the first 3-4 reg season games before losing your mind

Not losing my mind (yet)
But you hope to at least look decent in Pre season, and we have looked like dog s**t.