Raiders' Kirk Cousins plan 'isn't a guarantee' despite veteran status

The Las Vegas Raiders remain one of the iconic franchises that continues to be highly relevant, even though success has been limited since the last Super Bowl victory to cap the 1983 season. With the opportunity to take quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick in the draft, an interesting conversation arises regarding a potential quarterback battle.

There is a belief that the plan is for veteran Kirk Cousins to be the starter in week one, allowing Mendoza to sit, watch, and learn.

The ideal scenario: Cousins starts at the beginning of the season, throughout the season, and at the end of the season. This path indicates he is playing well, has stayed healthy, and Mendoza can develop without pressure. On Saturday, national insider Ian Rapoport discussed the best-case scenario on NFL Network:

“And if that is the way it goes for the Raiders, that is absolutely fine,” Rapoport said. “But it's not a guarantee.”

The reality of the draft: If a franchise uses the first overall pick on a player who cannot win the job over Cousins in a quarterback competition, the selection is called into question.

“What if Mendoza hits the ground running so fast and so well that they say this guy has to play? It might not be game one, but it could be early in the season,” Rapoport said. “And if that is the case for the Raiders, that also is excellent news. Does make it a little awkward in the QB room, but still news that the number one overall pick is exactly who they hoped he would be."

The NFL has evolved into the ultimate one-year-at-a-time sport. Deliberately choosing the lesser player to be the quarterback is a difficult strategy to sell to veteran players.

If Mendoza is clearly better than Cousins on the practice field, veterans like defensive end Maxx Crosby and tight end Brock Bowers, who are desperate to win, will expect the best player to start.

In 2012, the Miami Dolphins made Ryan Tannehill a top-ten pick. He earned the starting position to erase any perception that the job was handed to him. A starter must prove he is the best option.

While Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes sat for a year, the Chiefs were a well-oiled machine under Alex Smith. The Chiefs possessed the luxury of patience. The Raiders do not have this luxury, the team needs to get better immediately.

There is no replacement for getting on the field, getting reps, seeing defenses, and experiencing the game at high speed.

If Mendoza is the better player, he needs to start. If he is not the better player than Cousins at this point, the first overall pick was not utilized correctly. It is that simple.