This is Caching Out. Draft Edition on Veson, the Sports Betting Network.

Round one of the NFL draft is in the books. Welcome back into Caching Out. I'm Dustin

Sweetelson. This is Veson, the sports betting network. As the markets moved for a lot of these

picks throughout the last couple weeks

here, there was one that stayed pretty stagnant. And that was the number one pick as Fernando

Mendoza closed as a minus 2,000 favorite to be the first selection in 2026 to help us make sense

of what the Raiders are thinking, how they've done this offseason,

and how they feel about their new franchise quarterback.

We go out to the progressive guest line.

Welcome in our buddy, Jesse Merrick, Silver and Black Sports Network at Jesse Merrick,

SPSN on X, and he joins us now on cashing out.

So no surprises here, Jesse, but I'm just curious. Were there any whispers of

any legitimate chances to try and trade for that number one pick and steal Fernando Mendoza this year?

Hell no. Can I say that? Yes, yes. Yeah. So, yeah. So John Spitek, we talked to him after the

draft, after the first round was done.

And, you know, he said that, yes, they fielded calls, but the answer was no. And he said, that's a complete sentence. So they were taken Mendoza. There was no doubt about it. Now, he did talk about, you know, when they came to the decision. He was kind of non-committal. he didn't give like a definitive answer, but this is when we knew, but he said it was like

just a process all along where like, you know, when they came to the decision. He was kind of non-committal. He didn't give like a definitive answer.

Like, this is when we knew.

But he said it was like just a process all along where like they saw him at the national championship game. We're like, okay, this guy's intriguing. He's got it. Then they met him in person. And they were like, oh, okay, he checks a lot of the boxes off the field. he talked about his recall and everything like that.

And he just said it was a slow process where every each and every time they talk to him,

he just continued to check boxes off. And the day in the day, that was just too much for them to pass up on. So it is pretty wild to hear that it was minus 2000. I can't believe it wasn't a higher odds, to be completely honest, because it just was a foregone conclusion and it felt

like it has been since like, what, late November. So it was kind of weird approaching the draft because we're like, oh, yeah, it's Mendoza. Like, there's no doubt about it. Now they brought in Kirk Cousins. Do you anticipate Mendoza would be the starter week one or do you think there's going to be a quarterback battle going down here? No, yeah. They're saying there's going to be a quarterback battle and they have said, you know, that it's the best man will start. And look, they have to say that. Having said all of that, I don't think it will be a true quarterback battle unless, for whatever reason, Mendoza just comes out and looks like Joe Burrow in training camp. I think Kirk Cousins is starting. And I think he's probably starting at the very least the first four weeks, but more than likely half the season, if not more. Like the Raiders have been completely honest. I think you and I have talked about it as well on the show, that they realize they have a mountain to climb and they're not trying to climb it in a day. Yes, they made a lot of really intriguing moves in the off season. you get your franchise quarterback or at least future franchise quarterback and all of a sudden you're like, well, hey, maybe the Raiders could be up to something, but they still do have to figure out what they actually have. And I think the reason why you start Kirk Cousins is one, because yes, Bernanamo Mendoza needs to figure out how to take snaps from under center and get used to this offense in the pro style game, which is no different than many other quarterbacks coming out of college. I don't want to blow that out of proportion. But also the fact, too, of like, this new coaching staff trying to get a read on the offensive line, they gave up 64 sacks last year. Do you want to throw your number one pick behind that offensive line? or do you want to throw up Kurt Cousins out there, let him him take the lumps and also too at the same time, hey, if you happen to fix that, he kind of raises your floor because he's a veteran quarterback, he's been there and done that, he has familiarity with his scheme and he can also help you get a better read just on the offensive line, the offense, the team as a whole. So you really know where else you need to invest around Mendoza

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