HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) 鈥� quarterbacks and 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.
鈥淥ur starters are going to play,鈥� Kubiak said, adding that standout pass rusher Maxx Crosby’s availability would be 鈥淭BD.鈥�
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 , when Cousins and Crosby were held out of team drills because of a tussle between the two the day before.
鈥淗e’s continuing to grow,鈥� Kubiak said Tuesday before the Raiders’ scheduled practice that night at Allegiant Stadium. 鈥淚t’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.
鈥淲ith 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.鈥�
Benson has chance to shine in preseason
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.
鈥淛ust for my confidence, I feel like it has been really good for me,鈥� Benson said of being with the top group. 鈥淛ust to show myself that I can do it. I鈥檓 really glad that the coaches and my teammates are giving me (the) opportunity. They鈥檙e trusting me, and I鈥檓 able to show that I can be trusted.鈥�
McCoy to get game action
Kubiak said rookie cornerback 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.
鈥淛ermod has been practicing almost every day we鈥檝e been out there, so we expect him to play,鈥� Kubiak said. 鈥淲e expect him to compete and look forward to watching him play.鈥�
Injured players on the mend
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.
鈥淢ost of those guys we expect to play in this game,鈥� Kubiak said. 鈥淣ot all of them will, and we hope the ones that don鈥檛 play get to go get ready for that Houston game (next week).鈥�
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