Klint Kubiak: Ideally, you don't want a rookie QB to start from Day 1
NBC Sports • • sports
Key Points:
- The Raiders are likely to draft Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza first overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, and there is debate about whether he should start immediately or sit behind a veteran to learn.
- Head coach Klint Kubiak expressed a preference for rookie quarterbacks to learn behind experienced players but acknowledged that sometimes rookies must start from Day 1, emphasizing the importance of maturity and readiness.
- Currently, the Raiders have only Aidan O’Connell at quarterback, who may not be the ideal veteran mentor for Mendoza, while veteran Kirk Cousins is a possible free-agent option to serve as a bridge quarterback.
- Kubiak highlighted the challenges of developing young quarterbacks due to reduced practice time and stressed the coaching staff's responsibility to prepare and support the starting quarterback for success.
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