HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Raiders quarterbacks Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza will both play Thursday night when Las Vegas hosts the Arizona Cardinals in a preseason game, but coach Klint Kubiak wouldn't provide details on how much playing time they and their teammates would get.
“Our starters are going to play,” Kubiak said, adding that standout pass rusher Maxx Crosby's availability would be “TBD.”
Cousins, who's entering his 15th NFL season, has
been running the first-team offense in training camp and is expected to be the starter when the Raiders open their season Sept. 13 against Miami.
Mendoza was the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft. The Heisman Trophy winner, who led Indiana to its first national championship, has worked with the second-team offense nearly all camp.
Mendoza ran the first-team offense Saturday, when Cousins and Crosby were held out of team drills because of a tussle between the two the day before.
“He's continuing to grow,” Kubiak said Tuesday before the Raiders' scheduled practice that night at Allegiant Stadium. “It's been a really impressive training camp as far as how he's prepared, and then he goes out there to practice. Things don't happen on the paper, the playbook, exactly how they do on the field. I think he's done a good job of adjusting.
“With all of our players, we ask that as they gain experience and they make mistakes that they don't make the same mistake twice. I think that he's done a good job of that, and now it comes to live bullets with a live pass rush, and that'll be a whole other animal.”
The preseason opener also provides an opportunity for rookie wide receiver Malik Benson to show that his promising play in camp can translate into a game.
Drafted in the sixth round out of Oregon, Benson quickly played his way onto the second team. He began to develop a rapport with Mendoza before they arrived in Las Vegas, and their connection has been obvious in practices. He also has worked with the starters and began to build an on-field relationship with Cousins as well.
“Just for my confidence, I feel like it has been really good for me,” Benson said of being with the top group. “Just to show myself that I can do it. I’m really glad that the coaches and my teammates are giving me (the) opportunity. They’re trusting me, and I’m able to show that I can be trusted.”
Kubiak said rookie cornerback Jermod McCoy will receive plenty of playing time, which could showcase the progress he's made since tearing an ACL after the 2024 season at Tennessee.
He had been considered a first-round talent, but the Raiders got him in the fourth round after trading up a spot.
“Jermod has been practicing almost every day we’ve been out there, so we expect him to play,” Kubiak said. “We expect him to compete and look forward to watching him play.”
Defensive ends Kwity Paye and Keyron Crawford, guard Caleb Rogers and wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. have missed practice in recent days with undisclosed injuries.
“Most of those guys we expect to play in this game,” Kubiak said. “Not all of them will, and we hope the ones that don’t play get to go get ready for that Houston game (next week).”
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