Raiders' No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza expected to play roughly first half vs. Texans
Las Vegas will give its top draft choice his longest preseason look yet Thursday night, with Aidan O'Connell taking over after the break.
The Raiders plan to give rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza his most extended preseason audition yet Thursday night against the Texans. Adam Schefter reports the No. 1 overall pick is expected to play roughly the first half before veteran Aidan O'Connell replaces him for the second half.
Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter): Raiders No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza is expected to play roughly the first half tonight vs. the Texans before QB Aidan O'Connell replaces him for the second half.
Mendoza's workload is the headline of a preseason in which the Raiders are balancing development of their top selection with the reality that Kirk Cousins remains the depth-chart QB1 and the regular-season projected starter. ESPN's game preview frames the rookie as a studious, notebook-driven learner — a profile that has endeared him to the building even as the team manages expectations about when he actually takes the reins.
O'Connell, signed as a steadying veteran presence, handles cleanup duty in the second half, a familiar camp role for a player who gives the staff a known commodity if injuries or performance force an early change. For Mendoza, the first-half reps against Houston are the clearest window yet into how far he has come since landing in Las Vegas.