Raiders news: What stood out in Fernando Mendoza’s preseason debut to Mina Kimesappeared first onClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as aPreferred
The No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft got his first chance at professional action on Thursday in the Las Vegas Raiders’ preseason matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. Fernando Mendoza flashed some potential in his first time on the field. ESPN’s Mina Kimes revealed exactly what stood out to her the most in his first NFL action
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During a segment on “NFL Live” on ESPN, Kimes claimed she was impressed by the 22-year-old quarterback’s comfort, aggressiveness, and resiliency. The fact that he was able to pull off some impressive throws while working under center is something that truly stood out to Kimes
“I was impressed,” Kimes said. “I thought he looked comfortable. He looked comfortable under center, which was obviously a big talking point around [Mendoza] leading up to the draft, knowing he was gonna have to do that in Klint Kubiak’s offense… I thought he showed resilience coming back from a sack, some negative series. So, all in all, I thought it was a terrific start.”
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Fernando Mendoza ended his preseason debut with 97 passing yards and a touchdown while completing 10 of his 16 pass attempts. He finished with a solid 100.3 quarterback rating and appeared, as Mina Kimes pointed out, confident in the pocket
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Although Mendoza played well in his first preseason game, the Raiders have already announced they plan to start Kirk Cousins in Week 1. Kubiak seemingly wants to give the former Heisman Trophy Award winner some extra time to adjust to the professional level. The Raiders will begin the 2026-27 campaign with a home opener against the Miami Dolphins
Related:Pat McAfee gets brutally honest on Kirk Cousins’ preseason play vs. Cardinals
