Raiders name Kirk Cousins starting QB for Week 1 over Fernando Mendoza - ESPN

LAS VEGAS — Kirk Cousins will begin the season as the Las Vegas Raiders' starting quarterback over rookie Fernando Mendoza.

Raiders first-year coach Klint Kubiak announced Wednesday that Cousins will start the season opener in Las Vegas against the Miami Dolphins.

Mendoza will be the first quarterback drafted with the first overall pick to not start in Week 1 since Baker Mayfield in 2018. Playing for the Cleveland Browns at the time, Mayfield didn't start until Week 4 after Tyrod Taylor started the first three games that season.

Kubiak didn't comment on whether there's an expectation for Mendoza to play this year.

"[Cousins] played really good football," Kubiak said. «I'm happy with all three of our quarterbacks. Kirk's had a really good offseason, very [training] camp and he's earned it.»

Cousins will be the ninth player to start at quarterback since the Raiders parted ways with Derek Carr near the end of the 2022 season. Cousins and Kubiak will be the franchise's fourth different head coach-quarterback combination in four years.

Kubiak's decision always seemed inevitable. Cousins began training camp as Las Vegas' QB1 and has taken the majority of the starting reps.

On top of that, Cousins' previous experience with Kubiak during their time together with the Minnesota Vikings gives the Raiders a chance to be competitive right away while getting the rest of the team accustomed to the offensive scheme.

Cousins, 38, further solidified his starting position against the San Francisco 49ers in his second start of the preseason, completing 8 of 11 passes for 51 yards on two drives. Cousins also threw for 50 yards and a touchdown in the preseason opener against the Arizona Cardinals. He did not play in last week's preseason