Raiders Rebuild Begins with Cousins | Sports News

The Raiders kick off their 2026 season with a fresh start under new head coach Klint Kubiak and veteran QB Kirk Cousins, who’s acting as a bridge to top pick Fernando Mendoza. Though projected for just six wins, Cousins’ familiarity with Kubiak’s system and a promising young defense—especially tight end Brock Bowers, poised to break a rookie tight end catch record—could spark early optimism. With a tough home opener against the Dolphins and questions swirling about when Mendoza will take over, the Raiders are banking on a strong debut to set the tone for their rebuild. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/d686893045bbbb80