Ryan Bivens

@minakimes @billbarnwell Congrats on being pregnant again… can definitely tell in your face

BREAKING: The #Raiders are trading pass rusher Tyree Wilson to the #Saints, per sources.

As a former NFL Scout⎯ 36 reasons Fernando Mendoza will fail in the NFL: 1. His mind does not process information like successful NFL quarterbacks. Mendoza is a very rigid, systematic, and linear thinker. He played in a bubble at Indiana. Everything had to be lined up just so for him at Indiana. The NFL is a post-snap game where quarterbacks have to have the ability to make successful split-second adjustments in response to unpredictable real-time game situations. That's not him. 2. He has a conservative game manager nature. He's calculated and likes to play it close to the vest. 3. He didn't play in an NFL offense in college. He played in a heavy RPO (run-pass option) system. 4. He's too dependent on being supported by the run game. He played in a run-heavy offense at Indiana. Per Team Rankings, 60.72% of Indiana's play selection was a running play. That number jumped to 65.85% in his last three games. To put that into an NFL perspective, the Ravens had the highest "run play percentage" in 2025 per Team Rankings at 52.05%. Indiana had the second-most rushing attempts in NCAAF (ESPN) at 659 rushing attempts. To put that into an NFL perspective, the Bills had the most rushing attempts in the NFL in 2025 (ESPN: 547). 5. "He took just two total snaps under center in 2025." (Pro Football Focus). 6. Mendoza clapped for the snap at Indiana. Quarterbacks don't do that in the NFL. 7. His "accuracy" and "ball placement" depend on strict throwing mechanics and a rigid throwing process from the pocket. 8. His eyes are easy to read. Wherever he's looking, that's where he's throwing. He has shown no ability to manipulate or move defenders with his eyes before throwing. 9. He HARD SETS from the pocket before he throws. He has to take an "extra moment" to perfectly line up his upper and lower body with the trajectory and throwing angle of his passes to ensure his "accuracy" and "ball placement." As he's doing this, he's hard locking into his target. His passes come out a "tad" late because he does this hard set as part of his throwing motion. 10. He pats the ball before he throws it, which further telegraphs the location and timing of his throws. 11. He tends to wait to throw until the receiver is turning or has turned and is looking in his direction before he will throw the ball in the short to intermediate route levels (0-19 air-yards). He throws with below-average to average anticipation. 12. His completion percentage dropped to 53.2% when he was required to move in 2025 (ESPN). 13. Tends to lift his right foot when he throws, which can cause his passes to sail high or be overthrown. 14. Inexperienced throwing from different arm angles. 15. His completion percentage dropped to 51.2% under pressure in 2025 (Pro Football Focus). 16. Lacks poise under pressure. Looks helpless when the pass rush is getting close to him. Tends to easily fold and eat sacks and yardage losses for his offense. 17. Has no feel for front or backside pressure that he doesn't see coming. 18. Looked overwhelmed by pressure up the middle. 19. Produced a 3.65-second time to throw under pressure in 2025. This ranked No. 262 in the FBS (Pro Football Focus). 20. “Mendoza’s pressure-to-sack rate of 18.9 percent last season is 36th out of 57 draft-eligible QB prospects, and that number increased to 27.7 percent during his final seven games, which is right around his career rate of 27.1 percent.” (The Ringer) 21. Throws an elementary route tree (tended to throw the same 3-4 routes over and over at Indiana). 22. Tends to throw to his first throwing option. 23. Prefers only to throw routes that offer him the absolute most throwing leverage (outside and deep). 24. He's too repetitive and predictable as a passer. Hardcore throwing tendencies. 25. Lacks experience throwing routes at the intermediate route level (10-19 yards). 26. He can't read pass coverage post-snap. His throwing locations were determined for him pre-snap. 27. Does not see the whole field well. 28. Struggles to take something off passes when he needs to. 29. Ball security. In 16 games in 2025, Mendoza threw 6 INT, and I charted another 32 of his passes that were broken up by defenders (PBUs). This is an average of 2.0 PBUs that he threw per game. 30. He has limited athletic ability. His 6-foot-5 frame and body movements look restricted, inflexible, and robotic as a passer and as a runner. He lacks natural bend. He plays like someone who has a stiff neck. 31. He's a HIGH INJURY RISK in the NFL. When he rolls out and throws, he jumps up, which causes him to leave his body wide open to contact. As a runner, he does not like to slide or go out of bounds. He leaves himself wide open to absorb a lot of heavy contact. 32. He lacks composure out of structure. If his "first" or "second" throwing option is not there next to immediately in passing situations, Mendoza begins to visibly panic, his feet become unsettled, and he starts moving around. He drops his eyes. He does one of four things in these situations: He either rolls out and tries to find an open receiver in his line of vision, throws the ball away, takes off running, or gets sacked. 33. He's too dependent on running (90 rushing attempts last season). 34. Limited ability to improvise. 35. Looks uncomfortable out of structure. 36. He doesn't show any dominant, rare, or elite traits on his game film. @TomBrady

Earn the shield: It appears new #Raiders HC Klint Kubiak is having his players work to have the shield decal put on their helmets, as seen at Day 1 of veteran minicamp. 📸 Raiders