Cousins Rises, Mendoza's 'Trying To Get Better' At Raiders Training Camp

Fernando Mendoza eventually taking over as the Raiders' starting quarterback seems inevitable, so much so that the only question is a matter of when it occurs.

Kirk Cousins doesn't appear to be in any terrible hurry to hand the position to him, exhibiting the emotions and precision of someone ready to secure the spot entering Las Vegas' season.

"I think in this league, it’s kind of one day at a time," Cousins said. "You’re only as good as your last throw, your last practice. You try to every day go out and earn that opportunity and never take anything for granted."

Coach Klint Kubiak made national news on the eve of training camp that Cousins would be the starter when practices began, but he was stating the obvious. Cousins ran the first-team offense in organized team activities and minicamp and there was no indication that would change entering camp.

Kubiak also made it clear at the time that he expected Mendoza and Aidan O'Connell to push Cousins, noting Friday he thought that position was off to a good start this camp.

"Any time they complete a ball better than (Cousins) does or get it out faster than he does, then he should get pissed and want to do it better," Kubiak said. "That’s the goal, and I think they’ve done that in these first three practices. Every guy is doing something good every day, and it makes the other guy want to stay after practice a little bit longer to work on that throw that they missed."

Cousins doesn't hold back much emotionally on the field, though none of that has been directed at Mendoza or O'Connell. He has punched his fist in the air after throwing a touchdown pass and gotten into some verbal back and forth with the defense.

"I think I’ve always kind of been pretty spirited and