Raiders ink No. 1 pick Mendoza to rookie contract

HENDERSON, Nev. -- First overall pick quarterback Fernando Mendoza signed his rookie contract with the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday, the team announced. Mendoza signed a four-year, $57.27 million fully guaranteed deal with a fifth-year option. The Raiders' entire 10-player 2026 draft class is now under contract as they report for training camp Thursday. The wait 15 over. #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/6IL9ol6G1R — Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) July 23, 2026 The veterans will arrive on July 28, with the team's first training camp practice taking place the following day. With Mendoza under contract, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Ty Simpson is the only first-round pick left unsigned. Mendoza is the first player that the Raiders drafted first overall since JaMarcus Russell in 2007. He will be competing with veterans Kirk Cousins and Aidan O'Connell for the starting job. Cousins currently has the upper hand in the quarterback competition, having received most of the first-team reps during the Raiders' offseason program. Meanwhile, Mendoza played mostly with the third team and had occasional reps with the second team offense. Las Vegas signed Cousins in the offseason, with the expectation that he could be the starter to begin the year, allowing the team to be patient with Mendoza's development.