RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins , who was named the starter ahead of first-overall pick Fernando Mendoza at the start of training camp, was held out of practice on Saturday following an incident with star edge rusher Maxx Crosby.
The two players reportedly got into a physical altercation during Friday's practice, to the point where they had to be separated. Head coach Klint Kubiak chalked it up to nothing more than competitive fire between two elite players, but both were nonetheless disciplined by being held out of Saturday's session.
Everything has since returned to normal, with Cousins back at practice on Monday and working again with the first-team offense.
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The Raiders signed Cousins in early April to a one-year, $20 million fully guaranteed deal. The agreement also comes with a two-year, $80 million team option and could be worth up to $172 million over five years, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter . That structure gives the Raiders flexibility in deciding what to do with the veteran quarterback beyond this season, during which he'll serve as a mentor for rookie Mendoza.
The Raiders used the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Mendoza, fresh off a Heisman Trophy and a college football national championship with the Indiana Hoosiers. Expectations in Vegas are that Kubiak and his staff will ease Mendoza into the starting job over time — he reportedly stepped in with the first-team offense in Cousins' absence on Saturday. No timetable has been set for when the Raiders will hand the reins over to Mendoza, but having a steady presence like Cousins takes the pressure off making that decision right away.
The Raiders open their preseason against the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday at Allegiant Stadium, followed by two more preseason matchups against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium and the San Francisco 49ers back in Las Vegas. Raiders fans should get to see their No. 1 overall pick in action during those contests as the team continues to ramp him up heading into the regular season.
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