Raiders Owner Mark Davis Makes His Feelings About Kirk Cousins Very Clear
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
Mark Davis believes the Las Vegas Raiders finally have the right pieces in place. The Raiders owner spoke positively about veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins, making it clear he’s loved what he’s seen from him so far.
After years of coaching changes and frustration, the Raiders went into the offseason desperate for stability. Davis turned over the keys to general manager John Spytek and minority owner Tom Brady, who hired Klint Kubiak as the new head coach.
Las Vegas also drafted quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick. While the rookie is clearly the future of the franchise, the Raiders look ready to go with Cousins for now. Davis singled out the veteran for how well he’s handled himself and performed throughout training camp.
“But all I see is him finding open guys and getting the ball to them,” Davis told Raiders.com. “Kirk Cousins is looking really good. He’s a pro quarterback.”
Davis then added, “It’s the Tom Brady effect.”
Kubiak Sets The Tone Early In Camp
While Davis backed Cousins publicly, the veteran recently found himself in the middle of a situation that showed how Kubiak plans to run the team.
Cousins and star pass rusher Maxx Crosby got into a fight during practice, and head coach Klint Kubiak wasn’t having it. Even with both guys being top team leaders, Kubiak didn’t hesitate to sit them out for the very next practice.
“We have very clear expectations on how we want to practice and how we want to go about our business, and we violated that yesterday, so (we) held those guys out,” Kubiak said. “We addressed it with the team, and we’re moving on.”
This sent a clear message across the team. Kubiak expects accountability from everyone, no matter how big the name.
Despite the incident, Davis remains confident about the Raiders’ quarterback room. Along with Cousins and Mendoza, the team also has Aidan O’Connell. Davis believes all three quarterbacks can step up at anytime.
“We’ve got three legit quarterbacks on the roster,” Davis said.
Davis also acknowledged the franchise’s struggles under his leadership. The Raiders have not won a playoff game during his time as owner, and he admitted the organization has often missed the mark.
“This is my 15th year in charge and we haven’t gotten it right yet,” Davis said.
Still, he feels optimistic about where the team stands today.
“But this year feels good,” Davis said. “In 15 years, we might have gotten it right. And I say ‘we,’ not ‘me.’ Because it’s a team effort. It’s about the ‘we.’”
For now, Davis has placed his trust in Kubiak, Cousins, and the new leadership group. The Raiders still need results on the field, but the owner believes the team is finally moving in the right direction.
