Klint Kubiak put Fernando Mendoza in the spotlight against Houston’s starters, giving the Las Vegas Raiders rookie quarterback a major test before their Thursday matchup.
Mendoza got his first snaps with the Raiders’ first-team offensive line during Tuesday’s joint practice against the Texans, working against Houston’s starting defense in what Kubiak called a planned test. Kubiak told reporters, “That was our plan all along,” adding that he thought Mendoza “did some good things” but still wants to review the tape before drawing firm conclusions.
Kubiak also praised the overall tenor of the joint session, noting the two teams largely avoided the fights that can derail practices at this point in camp, with only one minor scuffle on the defensive side.
Fernando Mendoza is putting in the work…
For the Raiders, this is a meaningful data point rather than a minor camp footnote. Getting reps against a different opponent’s starters is the clearest test available before preseason games start counting, and running Mendoza with the ones signals the staff wants a real look at him under pressure he hasn’t faced yet in intrasquad work.
As training camp moves into its fourth week, the Raiders are approaching a critical point in determining competitive spots on the roster. Performance against external competition is typically more significant than how a player performs against familiar teammates.
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If Mendoza is in the mix for the starting spot (theoretically), positive tape here could accelerate his path up the pecking order; underwhelming tape could just as easily solidify him as “not ready.” Either way, it’s a live look at where the front office may be leaning as cut-down decisions approach.
Kubiak’s comments also are relevant for what they don’t say. He was careful to frame this as evaluation in progress, not a verdict; he explicitly said he’s still waiting to watch the film before forming a fuller opinion. That caution suggests the staff isn’t ready to commit to a narrative on Mendoza yet, good or bad, and wants Thursday’s preseason game and the tape review to fill in the picture.
Expect the Raiders to keep leaning on joint practices like this one to fast-track evaluations in the future, and don’t be surprised if Mendoza sees extended run again Thursday night if Tuesday’s reps held up on film.
*Top Photo: Ramble Illustration/Getty Images