HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) 鈥� Fernando Mendoza has received in offseason practices a taste of what’s to come, however the won’t begin to truly focus on him until late July when the Las Vegas Raiders opening training camp.
Then everything will be dissected 鈥� his passes, his play behind center, which section of the depth chart he is quarterbacking.
That comes with being the , especially at that position.
鈥淚鈥檓 really working hard with (the) coaching staff, who鈥檚 pushing me and have done a phenomenal job of relaying and communicating the information needed,鈥� Mendoza said. “It鈥檚 up to me to take full advantage of that, and I feel like I鈥檝e been growing every day from the first day of OTAs, then (Tuesday) in minicamp. I feel like I鈥檓 leaps and bounds ahead of where I was.鈥�
Though the Raiders aren’t forcing Mendoza to come in and immediately be the team’s franchise QB 鈥� all indications point to veteran 鈥� that doesn’t mean coaches have held back in hitting the rookie with the playbook.
鈥淗e鈥檚 gotten a ton better, putting the work in,鈥� coach Klint Kubiak said. “I think it is an adjustment, but with anyone coming into the league, you got to put the work into it and he鈥檚 done that. We鈥檙e going to ask him to play under center, we鈥檙e going to ask him to play in the gun, we鈥檙e going to ask him to play in the pistol. All of our quarterbacks. That鈥檚 not just us, that鈥檚 a leaguewide thing.
“But the things we鈥檝e asked him to improve on, he鈥檚 been diligent at.鈥�
Mendoza said he went through a similar transition after transferring from California to Indiana and experienced a rough spring practice, not looking like the player who would that season and stunningly lead the Hoosiers to their .
That experience, he said, has made taking in so much new 鈥� information, teammates, coaches, system 鈥� that he’s handled it better than a year ago.
鈥淚鈥檓 growing,鈥� Mendoza said. 鈥淭his isn鈥檛 the Super Bowl today.鈥�
He might not be the starter, yet, but Mendoza is getting that kind of treatment.
Mendoza enthusiastically with his Raiders teammates cheering him on at Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes. A Mendoza bobblehead of him with the famous Las Vegas welcome sign also was unveiled.
The quarterbacks room of Mendoza, Cousins and Aidan O’Connell has worked together, but there’s also a competition.
Cousins made it clear he’s not in Las Vegas to serve as Mendoza’s mentor.
鈥淚鈥檓 learning a lot from them, too, and asking questions of them,鈥� Cousins said. “It鈥檚 always been a working force together in the quarterback room, and that鈥檚 what it is. Nobody鈥檚 leading more than someone else.
“I鈥檝e always felt I prepare my best during the season when we can all kind of be together in that room in the evening, going over things together rather than working in our own silos. I think when we can kind of all be given feedback on each other, that鈥檚 when I think the best ideas come out.鈥�
Kubiak agreed with Cousins’ assessment.
鈥淲e never ask anybody to be a mentor,” Kubiak said. “If you鈥檙e on the roster, it鈥檚 to play and to play really well for the team. That鈥檚 the quarterback鈥檚 job, all three of them, is to get ready to play and win games at a high level. Then when everybody鈥檚 doing that, they鈥檙e pushing each other, it creates competition, and the whole roster gets better. All I want from our quarterbacks is to be competitive and to all prepare like they鈥檙e starters.鈥�
Dean misses minicamp
Linebacker Nakobe Dean, who signed a three-year, $36 million contract with the Raiders, did not practice the two days of mandatory minicamp this week.
Kubiak wouldn’t tip his hand on if Dean is injured.
鈥淣akobe鈥檚 been here every day,鈥� Kubiak said. “He didn鈥檛 practice, but all injuries and things like that, I don鈥檛 want to talk about this time of year. We just want to get all our guys healthy to training camp. That鈥檚 really the most important thing.鈥�
Dean played four seasons with Philadelphia, making 226 tackles, 19 for loss and 7 1/2 sacks.
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