Raiders coach Klint Kubiak won’t name Week 1 QB yet, says job belongs to Kirk Cousins to lose

The Raiders are keeping their Week 1 quarterback plan open, even as the preseason moves toward its end. On Friday, first-year head coach Klint Kubiak said it “doesn’t benefit the team” to name a starting quarterback before the job is fully secured, following Fernando Mendoza’s second preseason game.

Kubiak’s comments reinforce that the team is still evaluating the quarterback position through live reps rather than closing the decision early. That matters in the final weeks of camp because the starter’s identity can shape how the offense installs timing, protections, and cadence, particularly with game-week preparation and the limited practice time that follows the last preseason performances.

In describing where the competition stands, Kubiak indicated that Kirk Cousins is the default option unless someone else earns the spot. According to the reporting, Kubiak has said the starting quarterback position is Cousins’ “to lose,” framing the situation as a competition that still has room for challengers but begins with Cousins as the baseline.

The timing also matters for the way the Raiders will handle the preseason snaps. Mendoza, who received additional work in what was described as his second preseason appearance, represents the type of pressure Kubiak wants to maintain on the starter. The message is not only about who is currently atop the depth chart, but also about whether the quarterback room can collectively reduce uncertainty as the regular season approaches.

While Kubiak is not ready to name the starter, his stance suggests the Raiders may be prioritizing continuity for the offense without making the decision a distraction. Declaring a starting quarterback before the role is truly locked can affect both preparation and play-calling, and a coach can reasonably decide to delay that choice until practice and game situations provide clearer differentiation.

From a roster-construction and team-building standpoint, the quarterback decision becomes the organizing principle for everything else. The offensive line’s protections, the route combinations on third downs, and the way early-down tempo is managed often reflect the preferences of the player who will run the offense. Even if Cousins is viewed internally as the most likely starter, the Raiders still need to feel confident that the current plan can execute on opening-week situations.

For fans and evaluators, the next steps are straightforward: watch how Mendoza and Cousins perform in the remaining preseason window, and listen for any shift in Kubiak’s language as he approaches the point where he can say the job is secured. Until the Raiders make a clear decision, the quarterback storyline will likely remain fluid, with Cousins as the leading candidate and Mendoza as the clearest on-field reminder that the competition is ongoing.