And then there was one. Quarterback Drew Allar has signed his rookie deal with the Steelers , the team announced on Friday. That means Rams quarterback Ty Simpson is the lone remaining unsigned QB from the 2026 draft. Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza and Cardinals quarterback Carson Beck put pen to paper with their respective teams earlier this week. Allar was the No. 78 overall pick in the third round in April after four seasons at Penn State. He is one of four in Pittsburgh ’s QBs room, along with Aaron Rodgers , Mason Rudolph , and Will Howard
And then there was one. Quarterback Drew Allar has signed his rookie deal with the Steelers, the team announced on Friday. That means Rams quarterback Ty Simpson is the lone remaining unsigned QB from the 2026 draft. Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza and Cardinals quarterback Carson Beck put pen to paper with their respective teams earlier this week. Allar was the No. 78 overall pick in the third round in April after four seasons at Penn State. He is one of four in Pittsburgh’s QBs room, along with Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, and Will Howard
After recording 112 receptions and being named a first-team All-Pro as a rookie in 2024, Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers battled through an injury-marred sophomore campaign in 2025. The 23-year-old was clearly hampered while playing through a knee injury that he suffered in Week 1 and eventually ended the season on Injured Reserve. However, Bowers is reportedly fully healthy heading into 2026. The Raiders should also have a significantly improved offensive environment in the upcoming year, hiring Klint Kubiak as their new head coach and play-caller and revamping their quarterback room with veteran Kirk Cousins and 2026 number one overall pick Fernando Mendoza. Bowers profiles as the clear number one option in the Las Vegas passing game and could have a chance to exceed the 153 targets he earned as a rookie. While Bowers' stock may be slightly down following his disappointing 2025 production, he remains an elite fantasy tight end ahead of 2026
We’re wrapping up the regular season in Silver and Black Pride’s Mendoza Mania series , diving into film breakdowns for each of Fernando Mendoza’s games during his last College Football season, and looking at Indiana’s dominant 56-3 win over in-state rival Purdue. However, this was the Las Vegas Raiders ’ new quarterback’s worst performance of a passer from last year, going eight for 15 (53.3% completions) with 117 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions . The latter is misleading, though. Pro Football Focus had him on the hook for three “ turnover-worthy plays ” at a 17.6 percent rate, his most TWPs and highest rate (by over 12 percent) on the year. Also, the 2026 NFL draft No. 1 pick didn’t account for any “big-time throws” and posted his lowest PFF passing grade (28.3) of the season by more than 20 points against the Boilermakers. So, fair warning, this breakdown is going to be more negative than positive, as it looked like the Heisman Trophy winner was pressing and forced a handful of throws. This was Mendoza’s first pass of the game and, in a way, set a precursor for how the rest of the night went for him. Purdue is playing man coverage and makes no secret about it by showing and staying in Cover 1 pre- and post-snap while both corners are lined up in press coverage. With Indiana in a three-by-one formation, that sets up Elijah Sarratt with a one-on-one matchup that Mendoza clearly likes and wants to take advantage of. However, the cornerback plays soft-shoe press coverage instead of going for the jam at the line of scrimmage and stays in Sarratt’s hip throughout the route, meaning the receiver is never open. Ideally, the quarterback comes off the one-on-one matchup and works the other side of the progression, where the outside receiver and tight end are open. Instead, Mendoza tries to throw a back-shoulder pass to Sarratt and misses too far inside, forcing the receiver to be the defender and prevent the interception. Predetermining and being inaccurate with the throw is a bad combination, and he’s lucky this wasn’t a turnover. While the receiver and route are different here, this play is almost a carbon copy of the previous one. The Boilermakers have the same play call, running Cover 1 with a six-man pressure, while the Hoosiers come out in a three-by-one formation again. Granted, it doesn’t look like this is a predetermined throw/decision by Mendoza, but more of him trying to force the ball into someone who isn’t open. The matchup to watch here is in the slot, where the nickelback does a great job of covering Omar Cooper Jr. on the drag route. The defender knows he has safety help over the top with the single-high coverage. So, once Cooper releases off the line and starts to work across the field, the nickel can undercut the route to get into the passing lane since the free safety is protecting him from being beaten deep. As a result, the receiver isn’t open. But Mendoza throws it anyway and doesn’t get enough air on the ball to place it between the second and third levels of the defense. Instead, the pass goes right to the defender and should have been intercepted if the receiver didn’t play great defense to force the drop. What makes this play more frustrating is that if Mendoza had gotten to his next read, he would have seen the cornerback who was covering Sarratt slip to create an opportunity for a big play. While the pass-rush was coming, he had plenty of time to move on in the progression. This next one is a missed read more than anything. Purdue mixes up their coverage by showing the Cover 1 look they ran in the first two clips with the free safety in the middle of the field pre-snap. However, post-snap, they rotate into Cover 3 with pattern-matching principles in the secondary, where the nickelback in the boundary (bottom of the screen) rotates into the middle deep third and the safety slides over to take the hook-to-curl area. Also, they’re protecting against a deep or intermediate throw by ha
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The Los Angeles Rams don’t usually make first-round picks and maybe Ty Simpson ’s prolonged waiting game to sign his rookie contract helps explain why, especially now that Fernando Mendoza is under contract. Mendoza and Simpson were the last two first-round picks who had not signed their rookie contracts, but that changed on Thursday as the Las Vegas Raiders officially locked down the first overall pick of the draft. Mendoza signed a four-year, $57 million deal, which we all knew would happen because of the rookie pay scale as per the CBA. We already know what Simpson is going to sign for, we already know it will be fully-guaranteed, but the Rams continue to work on “contract language” with the 13th overall pick. The only other two unsigned rookies in the NFL are quarterback Drew Allar and edge rusher Gabe Jacas . As per Blaine Grisak’s interview with Joel Corry of CBS Sports , the wait with Simpson is likely related to a signing bonus: “Simpson’s camp is probably insisting that the Rams extend the 2024 quarterback payment convention to him since he was drafted one slot lower than Nix,” said Corry. “Nearly every team besides the Jaguars and Rams requires offsets with salary guarantees for draft picks, including those selected in the top 10.” “Based on past practices, Simpson’s contract with the Rams shouldn’t contain offsets,” continued Corry. “The last time the Rams had a first-round pick, edge rusher Jared Verse in 2024, his contract did not contain offsets in the salary guarantees despite being the 19th overall selection.” The Rams report to camp on Saturday. Will Ty Simpson be there?
Fernando Mendoza and the Las Vegas Raiders have a deal. Mendoza and the Raiders agreed to terms on the quarterback’s rookie contract, the team announced Thursday , July 23. Mendoza deal is valued at $57. 2 million. As the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Mendoza’s rookie deal was slotted and predetermined, but top draft picks, especially quarterbacks, have some leverage. Signing bonus cash flow, guaranteed money details and offset language are negotiable terms in rookie contracts. The top four quarterbacks selected in this year’s draft – Mendoza, Ty Simpson , Carson Beck and Drew Allar – were all unsigned as of Wednesday morning . The Arizona Cardinals signed Beck to his rookie deal Wednesday afternoon . Cardinals rookies reported to training camp on Wednesday, so there was a sense of urgency to sign Beck. The same can be said for Mendoza as Raiders rookies reported to camp on Thursday. Mendoza’s signing bonus is what stalled the quarterback from originally signing his rookie deal with the Raiders, a person familiar with the situation told USA TODAY Sports. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they aren’t authorized to discuss such deals. Single lump sum payments have become customary for No. 1 overall picks. The last No. 1 pick that didn’t receive their signing bonus in a single lump sum payment was Kyler Murray when he was drafted No. 1 overall by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2019 NFL Draft. A person familiar with the Raiders process told USA TODAY Sports the Raiders’ standard practice is paying signing bonuses in instalments. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter. Now that Mendoza and the Raiders have settled their contract situation, the rookie quarterback can now turn his focus on Year 1 with the Silver and Black. The Raiders signed veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins this offseason. Cousins is expected to start the season while the Raiders take a conservative approach with Mendoza, a quarterback they hope is their franchise quarterback. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: Top pick Fernando Mendoza reports to Raiders camp, signs contract
With rookies reporting to training camp on Thursday, the Raiders have taken care of an important piece of business. No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza has signed his rookie contract, the team announced. “ Let’s get this thing rolling ,” Mendoza said in a video released by the team on social media. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network notes Mendoza’s deal is worth $57.27 million, fully guaranteed. The Raiders also hold a fifth-year option on the first-round pick. Mendoza’s signing should clear the way for Rams quarterback Ty Simpson and Steelers quarterback Drew Allar to also sign their rookie deals. Cardinals quarterback Carson Beck agreed to terms on his four-year rookie contract earlier this week
An offseason of both acknowledgment and rising expectations continues for Bears’ TE Colston Loveland. After being featured among the top 10 players at his position earlier this summer, the 2nd year man can now be found alongside a group of both rookies and veterans poised to make an impact on the retail market. This comes via the NFLPA’s annual “Rising Stars List”, which “forecasts [the] next wave of players expected to drive fan demand and merchandise sales.” As mentioned, the list highlights both rookies and veteran players, with Loveland appearing alongside notable veterans such as Las Vegas Raiders TE Brock Bowers , Buffalo Bills RB James Cook, and New England Patriots DB Christian Gonzalez . Unsurprisingly, the rookie side of the list features a number of highly-drafted players in some big markets, such as Las Vegas Raiders QB Fernando Mendoza, Dallas Cowboys S Caleb Downs , and New York Giants LB Arvell Reese. Loveland’s marketability can be debated, but there’s certainly a strong case to be made in his favor. His strong performance on the field, the home market of Chicago, and the charisma he’s displayed both on and off the field likely serve as the foundation of his place on this list. Heck, he’s even going to be featured in the upcoming Bears-centric Hallmark movie ! This list serves as the latest endorsement of Loveland, and those of us with a rooting interest in the Chicago Bears can only hope that his play in the upcoming season is reflective of all of these offseason expectations. You can check out the full NFLPA Rising Stars List here
There had been four unsigned rookie quarterbacks. There are now three. Via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Cardinals and quarterback Carson Beck have agreed to terms on a four-year, $7.4 million deal, as the Cardinals gather for training camp. The amount was never in question. It’s slotted. There’s nothing to negotiate. The question is whether he got more guarantees than others around him received, given the position he plays. Eventually, the contract will be reported and the full percentage of the guarantees will be known. For now, Beck is under contract. He can embark on an effort to disrupt the current plan to make veteran Jacoby Brissett the starter. And the chances of that could increase, if Brissett and the Cardinals don’t work out a new deal before camp opens — and if Brissett declines to practice until they do. Three other rookie quarterbacks are unsigned: Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza, Rams quarterback Ty Simpson, and Steelers quarterback Drew Allar
The quarterback competition in Las Vegas won’t be a competition if it never becomes one. If it’s a truly open competition, the first overall pick in the draft presumably should be able to beat a 37-year-old veteran who had no clear starting opportunities elsewhere in the league. With all due respect to Kirk Cousins (who has been a very good quarterback and an even better businessman), the first overall pick in any draft should be able to win a full and fair competition with Cousins at this point in his career. (Unless the first overall pick isn’t a quarterback.) One way to keep the veterans on the team from revolting when it comes to the decision to not use Mendoza would be to minimize Mendoza’s chances to show that he’s the better option. Which may explain the recent suggestion from Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated that the Raiders “ will sprinkle Mendoza in with the first team ” during training camp. Of course, if Mendoza makes the most out of the sprinkling, the flow could increase. If a limited apples-to-apples comparison makes it clear to the established players on the team (starting with defensive end Maxx Crosby and tight end Brock Bowers) that Mendoza could be the Johnny Appleseed for a forest of playoff appearances, the mood could shift, quickly. The balance for the Raiders, if they’re committed to keeping Mendoza in the garage for a year, will be to get him practice reps without making it clear that he should get more. And more. And more. The Chiefs pulled it off nine years ago with Patrick Mahomes because they were a perennial playoff team under Alex Smith. The Raiders have been to the playoffs twice since the 2002 season. The players on the team will want the guy who gives them the best chance not to win later, but to win now. Cousins has said the better player should play. As camp prepares to open, the question is whether Mendoza will get much of a chance to prove it — and whether he does enough with the “sprinkling” he gets to force the issue to the front burner
As NFL training camps begin, Yahoo Sports writers highlight eight rookies to watch, including Fernando Mendoza and Arvell Reese. Mendoza, the Raiders' No. 1 pick, may sit behind Kirk Cousins but is expected to play in preseason games. Reese, a hybrid defender from Ohio State, was a surprise pick for the Giants
Every year around this time, the NFL sees veterans pick new homes. There are plenty of notable wide receivers still out on the market. Tyreek Hill , Stefon Diggs , DeAndre Hopkins and Keenan Allen are still free agents, as is former Pro Bowler Deebo Samuel . In his one season with the Washington Commanders , Samuel caught 72 passes for 727 yards and five touchdowns. Those 727 yards receiving led the team, as fellow wide receiver Terry McLaurin and quarterback Jayden Daniels missed extensive time due to injuries. Maybe Samuel, at 30 years old, is no longer a dynamic threat capable of being named First Team All-Pro, but he's clearly still a weapon that can help any offense. Samuel recently posted a video on his YouTube page and said that this time has been hard for him. He's still waiting for that right opportunity to pop up -- something he's "more than ready" for. "I'm going on Year 8 … I still feel like I got a lot, at least like three, four good years left," Samuel said. "It's kind of been tough, not even going to lie to you. All the free agency stuff going on, waking up in the morning, looking at your phone, seeing if your agent hit you and was like, 'This team is interested,' or things along those lines. And it's been kind of like a roller coaster. Been through a lot, not just ball. With me and how I play this game it's just like no matter what I'm going through, no matter what I'm doing, if I'm able to perform, I'm going to go out there and put it on the line for my team." Where could Samuel sign in the near future? Let's take a look at a few options. This was a logical landing spot floated by CBS Sports analyst JP Acosta . The Las Vegas Raiders are one of the most-improved teams on paper. They added Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza to the quarterback room, then Kwity Paye , Quay Walker , Nakobe Dean , Taron Johnson and Treydan Stukes on defense. Headlined by Tre Tucker , Jalen Nailor , Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr , receiver may still be an area of weakness. Pairing a veteran slot weapon like Samuel with a veteran signal-caller like Cousins makes sense. As it stands, Brock Bowers is the only offensive weapon that can be relied on in Sin City. The Indianapolis Colts looked like the best team in football for the first few weeks of the season with the motivated Daniel Jones under center and electric Jonathan Taylor toting the rock. However, this wide receiving group could use some help. The Colts re-signed Alec Pierce with the largest contract in free-agency history for a wide receiver, but traded Michael Pittman Jr. to the Pittsburgh Steelers . As it stands, Pierce, Josh Downs and Ashton Dulin are expected to be the starting wideouts. Downs has played primarily in the slot, but coach Shane Steichen admitted his team would look to play him more on the outside. Could that open the door for a veteran slot player? This landing spot was recommended by CBS Sports' Mike Renner. Some would claim the Cincinnati Bengals have one of the best wide receiving corps in the NFL with Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins , but apart from those two pass-catchers, it's questionable. Andrei Iosivas is the No. 3, followed by players like Mitchell Tinsley , Charlie Jones and the rookie Colbie Young . Imagine Joe Burrow operating out of 11 personnel with Chase, Higgins and then Samuel running around in the slot. If the San Francisco 49ers have no interest in bringing Samuel back, maybe he could sign with their chief rival in the Los Angeles Rams . Sean McVay has Puka Nacua and Davante Adams catching passes from reigning NFL MVP Matthew Stafford , but that didn't stop the Rams from showing interest in A.J. Brown this offseason. Samuel wouldn't serve as a major pillar for one of the best offenses in the NFL, but the perfect versatile playmaker to be sprinkled in on a well-timed reverse or third-and-short. The Los Angeles Chargers ' offense is undergoing a major facelift with new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel. In his one season as the [... truncated ...]
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins is no stranger to competing with a first-round pick in his first season with a new team, though the comparisons to his 2024 campaign with the Falcons end just below surface level. The Falcons shocked the football world by selecting Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth pick in the 2024 NFL Draft weeks after signing Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal. In contrast, Fernando Mendoza was always going to wind up with the Raiders, even if his selection with the first overall pick was not made official until after Cousins had signed his two-year, $12.6 million bridge quarterback contract. With new Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak preaching patience for Mendoza, Cousins is expected to start the season with the starting job and could be given plenty of leash in an offense that should show signs of improvement from a year ago. That said, the soon-to-be-38-year-old's per-game fantasy production has been on the decline for years, and little is expected of RotoBaller's QB33 in 2026
The Las Vegas Raiders’ rookies report to training camp on Thursday, meaning the Raiders’ 2026 NFL draft class will have its first chance to make a stamp on the roster soon. With that in mind, let’s dive into the best- and worst-case scenarios for each of Las Vegas ’ 10 draft picks during training camp. Best case: Win starting QB job While it seems like the coaching staff’s plan is for Kirk Cousins to begin the season as the starter, even Cousins has said that the best quarterback needs to be on the field. And let’s be honest, the “competition” is less about Cousins versus Mendoza and more about Mendoza battling himself. If the rookie proves that he’s ready to be thrown into the fire during camp, he should be the Week 1 starter. Worst case: Falling behind Aidan O’Connell It’s completely reasonable for the No. 1 pick to begin the year on the bench and take some time to get adjusted to the NFL before being ready for action. However, if he doesn’t prove capable of at least holding down the backup job, then that could be a bad sign that the franchise is in trouble. Best case: Win starting FS job The Raiders’ defense desperately needs someone on the backend who can create turnovers. That’s a big reason why Stukes likely enters training camp as the favorite to take over for Isaiah Pola-Mao at free safety. Ball skills are one of the Arizona product’s biggest strengths, making him exactly what the secondary needs right now. Worst case: Struggle to find a position While the second-rounder is a versatile defender, sometimes those types of prospects can have a hard time finding a home in the NFL because they fall into the “jack of all trades, master of none” category. That has the potential to happen with Stukes, especially since he was primarily a nickelback and had very little experience playing free safety in college. Best case: Become third-down rusher As long as Maxx Crosby is on the roster, it’s hard to see Crawford winning a starting job over Crosby and free agent signing Kwity Paye in year one. However, it’s not out of the question for the third-round pick to beat out Malcolm Koonce as the defense’s third-down rusher. Koonce is living off an impressive nine-game run during the second half of the 2023 season, but he hasn’t done much outside of that stretch. That leaves the door open for the rookie to take over the role moving forward. Worst case: Fall into “healthy scratch” category Even if he’s awful in training camp, it’s highly unlikely that the 67th overall pick will get cut. But he is a project who needs development, and it wouldn’t be out of the question for a Top 100 selection to barely see the field as a rookie. Just ask Caleb Rogers and Charles Grant . The depth chart at edge is already crowded with Crosby, Paye and Koonce at the top, while Cian Slone and Brennan Jackson are also looking to make names for themselves to put some pressure on Crawford. Best case: Become a surprise starter Zuhn coming out of camp with a starting job would be a surprise since he isn’t a favorite to win either guard battle or take over at right tackle. But he should be in the mix at both spots, and it isn’t like Spencer Burford , Jackson Powers-Johnson, Rogers, Jordan Meredith , DJ Glaze and Charles Grant are such heavy favorites that the rookie third-round pick doesn’t have a fighter’s chance. Worst case: Fall into “healthy scratch” category On the other side of the coin, there is a world where 2026 is a “redshirt year” for Zuhn, especially since he’s another versatile player who will be finding his true position at the next level. That doesn’t mean the third-round pick will be a bust and never see the field during his tenure in Las Vegas, but it would certainly be underwhelming if he doesn’t get much playing time as a rookie. Best case: Win a starting CB job It’s been said multiple times throughout the offseason that McCoy is the most talented corner on the Raiders’ roster, and his ability to become a starter is primarily jus
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The NFL Players Association released its annual Rising Stars list on Tuesday and the first overall pick of this year’s draft is one of the players at the top. Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza is No. 1 on the list of the 10 rookies that the NFLPA projects to be future members of the Top 50 list of licensed player product sales. There is also a list of 10 players with NFL experience who have not been on the Top 50 and it is topped by Saints quarterback Tyler Shough. Mendoza is followed on the list by Cowboys safety Caleb Downs, Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love, Titans wide receiver Carnell Tate, Eagles wide receiver Makai Lemon, Commanders linebacker Sonny Styles, Saints wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, Giants linebacker Arvell Reese, Ravens wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane, and Buccaneers edge rusher Rueben Bain. The list of veteran players also includes Bears tight end Colston Loveland, Raiders tight end Brock Bowers, Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker, Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, Cardinals tight end Trey McBride, Dolphins running back De’Von Achane, Bills running back James Cook, and Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez
A recent report by Ian Rapoport of NFL Media raised some eyebrows about the Las Vegas Raiders’ plan for rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza this season. According to Rapoport, the team’s ideal plan for the No. 1 overall draft pick is to keep him on the shelf for his entire rookie season. Rapoport said the team would like to see Cousins, who was signed this offseason and who will turn 38 next month, play for the entire season. The Raiders have yet to publicly say what their plan is other than saying they do, indeed, have a quarterback plan. Both Las Vegas general manager John Spytek and head coach Klint Kubiak have said they would like to see rookie quarterbacks, in general, sit and learn in an ideal world. But an exact timeline for Mendoza hasn’t been announced. So, Rapoport’s report is interesting to suggest that Raiders would rather not insert Mendoza in the lineup att all in 2026. However, Rapoport made it clear there are no absolutes in this plan and he left plenty of outs for the plan to change. His point is if Cousins, who played under Kubiak for three successful seasons in Minnesota , plays well and stays healthy, there will be no reason to move away from him. Rapoport also mentioned Mendoza can simply steal the job if he plays well in the training camp and the preseason. So, in reality, this is simply a fluid situation. could Cousins play the entire year? Yes. Could Mendnza win the job by Week 1? Yes. It’s as simple and as complicated, at the same time, as that
Data comes from cached Sleeper and KTC snapshots. Values update when the sync jobs run.
