HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) 鈥� As Klint Kubiak oversees his first training camp , he is faced with the daunting task of figuring out how to juggle going with as the Raiders’ starting quarterback 鈥� for now 鈥� while getting the most out of overall No. 1 draft pick .
Kubiak made clear Tuesday that when Las Vegas takes the field early Wednesday for its first training camp practice that Cousins will run the first-team offense.
But there also will be plenty of focus on Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy winner who led Indiana to the national championship last season and whom so many fans have placed their hope that he is the long-awaited franchise quarterback. Mendoza operated the third-team offense in offseason practices behind Cousins and Aidan O’Connell, so the Raiders initially eased him into the lineup.
Now it comes down to performance.
鈥淚t鈥檚 important for me to be fair to the players and to put the best player out there,鈥� Kubiak said. “When we go out to practice tomorrow, Kirk Cousins is the starting quarterback. He鈥檚 the guy, and he鈥檚 going to get a ton of reps. He deserves them because he has played really good football, but I want Fernando and I want Aidan to push him.鈥�
Kubiak and his coaches enter camp with a plan for how to navigate the quarterbacks’ competition early, but they are ready to make adjustments depending on how it plays out.
鈥淲e have a starting point on where those reps want to be for the guys,” Kubiak said. “We鈥檙e really thoughtful about how many reps each guy鈥檚 getting up against what defense. There鈥檚 going to be times where it moves and certain guys are with the twos, certain guys are with the threes. We鈥檒l get the second guy with the ones. We have an early-on plan, but it鈥檚 always a moving target.鈥�
Crosby is back with the starters
Kubiak had said he expected star pass rusher Maxx Crosby, who underwent knee surgery in January, to be ready to go once camp begins.
That is indeed the case.
鈥淗e鈥檚 ready to practice,鈥� Kubiak said. “As practice unfolds and we鈥檙e watching our players, it鈥檚 always a moving target. But as of right now, tomorrow is a pretty short workday, hour and 30 minutes. So, we鈥檙e expecting (Crosby) to be ready to take all those reps.鈥�
Crosby’s surgery was to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee that caused him to miss the final two games last season.
He was traded to Baltimore in March only to have the four days later over a failed physical, someone with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press at the time.
Crosby said in June he and was focused on playing for the Raiders.
McCoy gets his chance
The Raiders traded up a spot into the first selection of the fourth round of this year’s draft to .
He was thought to be a first-round talent before a torn ACL forced McCoy to miss all of last season at Tennessee.
Now McCoy will begin to show whether the Raiders’ risk was a good one.
鈥淭he plan is to get him reps early and see how he responds in his recovery,” Kubiak said. “It is a moving target with him. He鈥檚 a guy that鈥檚 worked extremely hard and has been dedicated to the program that we鈥檝e put in front of him. Jermod hasn鈥檛 played football in a year, and we鈥檙e aware of that, but he鈥檚 ready to go practice tomorrow. We鈥檙e also going to be really smart with him and develop him the right way.鈥�
First training camp in charge for new coach
Kubiak was hired in February after serving as offensive coordinator of , and the 39-year-old hired some veteran assistants who can help his transition to running his own team.
He specifically mentioned Mike McCoy, Joe DeCamillis and Rick Dennison as coaches he could rely on.
鈥淭hose are guys that I lean on every day,鈥� Kubiak said.
Few questions about health
All the players, Kubiak said, are set to practice when camp opens.
He also said the conditioning tests were encouraging.
鈥淕uys did a great job there, but playing football is a whole lot different than running 60 yards,鈥� Kubiak said. 鈥淪o we鈥檒l find out who the most self-motivated people were.鈥�
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