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Las Vegas whitethorn beryllium Fernando Mendoza’s first NFL stop. But if he joins nan Raiders arsenic a rookie, his jersey whitethorn enactment cleanable early if coach Klint Kubiak has his way.
Mendoza led Indiana to its first College Football Playoff national title successful January and is wide projected arsenic nan No. 1 wide prime successful April’s NFL Draft, a action held by nan Raiders.
Klint Kubiak was named nan Raiders caput coach successful February, soon aft helping to lead nan Seattle Seahawks to nan franchise's 2nd Super Bowl title arsenic violative coordinator.
Kubiak believes rookie quarterbacks use from learning from an knowledgeable subordinate earlier seeing crippled action.
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Las Vegas Raiders coach Klint Kubiak speaks astatine an introductory news convention astatine Intermountain Health Performance Center connected Feb. 10, 2026, successful Henderson, Nev. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
"Ideally, you don't want him to commencement from Day 1," Kubiak told reporters Tuesday. "You'd emotion him to beryllium capable to study down somebody. That's successful a cleanable world. It doesn't ever activity retired that way. Sometimes they person to play from Day 1, and it's our occupation arsenic coaches to get them fresh to go. I deliberation it does thief nan subordinate if they tin beryllium down a mature big and watch really they tally nan show."
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Aidan O'Connell is nan only different backmost connected nan Raiders's roster aft nan squad traded Geno Smith and Kenny Pickett signed pinch nan Panthers. Kirk Cousins, Jimmy Garoppolo and Russell Wilson are among nan veterans who stay unsigned.
The Raiders’ playoff triumph drought dates to nan 2002 season, erstwhile nan franchise won nan AFC championship.
Kubiak pointed to Fernando Mendoza’s way grounds erstwhile asked astir nan quarterback.
"He's a nationalist champion. He's a winner," Kubiak said of Mendoza. "He's quick. He's intelligent."
Indiana backmost Fernando Mendoza passes against Miami during nan first half of nan College Football Playoff nationalist title crippled Jan. 19, 2026, successful Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
On defense, nan Raiders still person five-time Pro Bowl separator rusher Maxx Crosby aft his waste and acquisition to Baltimore was voided because he grounded a physical.
Seattle Seahawks violative coordinator Klint Kubiak speaks to nan media up of nan Super Bowl astatine nan San Jose Convention Center Feb. 5, 2026, successful San Jose, Calif. (Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
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Kubiak said he smiled erstwhile wide head John Spytek gave him nan news astir nan nixed deal.
"We sewage Maxx back. Are you kidding me? That's great. Our squad conscionable sewage better," Kubiak said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Chantz Martin is simply a sports writer for Fox News Digital.
