Tom Pelissero#5 of 87 NFL pundits · Jul 17, 2026
Pelissero expects Kirk Cousins, not rookie Fernando Mendoza, to open the season as the Raiders' starting quarterback, and possibly finish it there too. They also expect Bo Nix healthy for Denver, Justin Fields to start if Mahomes can't, no Bryce Young extension this offseason with Young playing year four, and Deshaun Watson to remain on Cleveland's roster.
Said on air, transcribed by us · The Rich Eisen Show (podcast)Hear the original
What Tom Pelissero said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromBut my full anticipation sitting here right now in mid July is Kirk Cousins will be the starting quarterback of the Raiders.
- Where it was said
- The Rich Eisen Show (podcast)
- The episode
- Hour 1: Giannis’ Heat Intro, LeBron James Intrigue, Rich’s Top 5, plus NFL Insider Tom Pelissero
- The original
- Hear the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
The page this came from has changed since we captured it on Aug 12, 2026. The quote and evidence here are from our capture, not from what the page says today.
- 1Justin Fields to be 1st on the depth chart“Obviously, if he can't, or if he's limited in the early going, we know exactly who it's gonna be with Justin Fields.”
- 2Kirk Cousins to be 1st on the depth chart“my full anticipation sitting here right now in mid July is Kirk Cousins will be the starting quarterback of the Raiders”
- 3Deshaun Watson: a roster call with no direction stated“He's in the final year of that five year 230,000,000 contract. He's gonna be on the team”
- 4Bryce Young: a roster call with no direction stated“I don't expect a Bryce Young extension. I believe that he'll play in year four.”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Fields to be 1st on the depth chart1 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Kirk Cousins to be 1st on the depth chart2 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Deshaun Watson: a roster call with no direction stated3 | Roster Spot Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Bryce Young: a roster call with no direction stated4 | Roster Spot Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| 4 calls · 4 waiting | — | — | ||||
How each call scored
4 checkable claims — 2 depth chart calls and 2 roster spot calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 7 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 2 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room on every one.
Each call is scored 0 to 100 against what happened, on its own, by the published methodology. The naive guess is what knowing nothing would have scored on the same calls; the gap, weighted by how hard the call was, is the skill.
Where this call stands in the room
Kirk Cousins · 2026 season29 calls from 27 pundits between 1 and 1. Tom Pelissero said 1. the room's median is 1. not settled yet
Every dot is a call somebody published on the same question. Where the dots land says where this take sits, not whether it is right — nothing here is settled yet. Hover a dot for the name and number; click it to read that take.
Their call against the room
Their call against everyone else's, while this is still unsettled.
1Depth Chart CallsJustin FieldsKansas City Chiefs
Justin Fields to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
2Depth Chart CallsKirk CousinsLas Vegas Raiders
Kirk Cousins to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
3Roster Spot CallsDeshaun WatsonCleveland Browns
Deshaun Watson: a roster call with no direction stated
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Bryce Young: a roster call with no direction stated
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Chris Clark · Trade and Signing Calls · Nikko Remigio · Miss 0
Clark expects the Chiefs to bring back exclusive-rights receiver Nico (Remigio) and long snapper James Winchester, to re-sign JuJu Smith-Schuster as a cheap veteran fifth receiver, and not to bring back Hollywood Brown, Josh Dobbs-type depth, Gardner Minshew, Janarius Robinson or Mike Caliendo; they also say the Chiefs will not use a franchise tag and believes Bryan Cook won't return.Logan Lazarczyk · Trade and Signing Calls · Kirk Cousins · Hit 100
Ahead of the trade deadline, they float three Raiders moves: shipping Kirk Cousins to Minnesota if the Vikings offer a second-round pick, selling Maxx Crosby to Dallas for a first-rounder plus, and acquiring Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr. for a second- or third-round pick.Gilberto Manzano · Trade and Signing Calls · Josh Downs · Hit 100
Previewing the trade deadline, he expects Justin Herbert to stay in Los Angeles despite the Chargers' 0–7 start, thinks the Jets will keep Garrett Wilson and pair him with their young weapons, expects a receiver-hungry Kansas City to be aggressive with Josh Downs the likeliest target, and suggests expiring Eagles contracts Moro Ojomo and Riq Woolen could be dealt for mid-round picks.Joshua Poniatowski · Trade and Signing Calls · Josh Downs · Hit 100
Poniatowski names several trade targets, predicting Malik Willis underperforms this week against New England, that Omarion Hampton could become a viable RB2 if Adam Gase takes over play-calling, that Josh Downs gets traded (ideally to Kansas City, where they'd be a top-24 WR), that Brian Thomas Jr. could be dealt to the Rams or 49ers, and that Travis Kelce remains a consistent weekly TE.
More depth chart calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Nic Bodiford · Depth Chart Calls · Joe Fagnano · Hit 100
Previewing Week 9 running game matchups, Bodiford expects Jacksonville to win lopsidedly over a depleted Baltimore team, with Bhayshul Tuten sitting out and Chris Rodriguez taking over as lead back, while Joe Fagnano starts at quarterback for the Ravens. They also view Broncos rookie Jonah Coleman as an RB2 going forward.Jacob Herlin · Depth Chart Calls · J.J. McCarthy · Hit 100
Herlin published Week 7 fantasy D/ST rankings with projections for 28 team defenses, led by Houston, Minnesota and Cleveland. They also expect Cleveland to post a fourth straight top-10 fantasy defense result, and predicts Jalon Daniels starts another week for Tampa Bay while J.J. McCarthy takes over as the Giants' starter.