Fernando Mendoza Takes Over as Raiders' New Latino QB1

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Fernando Mendoza Gets His Opportunity as the Raiders’ New QB1

A busy NFL trade deadline has created a major opportunity for Fernando Mendoza, who is set to become the Las Vegas Raiders’ new starting quarterback. With half a season to perform, the young Cuban American quarterback now has a chance to establish himself in the league.

The Raiders traded veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins to the Minnesota Vikings after Minnesota dealt with injuries and inconsistent quarterback play. Las Vegas may have always planned for Mendoza to take over at some point this season, and the team’s loss to the San Francisco 49ers likely reinforced the belief that it would not make the playoffs.

Mendoza was the starting quarterback for Indiana, won the Heisman Trophy and helped his team win the championship. He is viewed as a wholesome and likable player who embraces his Latino identity, speaks Spanish when he gets the chance and frequently talks about his mother.

After spending half the season learning as an understudy, Mendoza is expected to have room to develop. He showed a strong arm during limited game and preseason action, although the reviews were mixed. His next challenge will be adapting from college football to the NFL, including taking more snaps under center instead of operating from the shotgun.

The Raiders can give Mendoza room to make mistakes and grow through the remainder of the season. The expectation is that he will become more comfortable and begin coming into his own as the season progresses.

Elsewhere at the unusually active trade deadline, the Jacksonville Jaguars added several defensive players. In-season NFL trades have not typically been this common, but this year teams were especially aggressive.