LAS VEGAS — Kirk Cousins would welcome the opportunity to be the starting quarterback of the Las Vegas Raiders this season.

He just wants to earn it.

Cousins signed with the Raiders despite the very high likelihood the team will add Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first pick in the draft later this month.

“I think we all want to play, but I made it clear to (coach Klint Kubiak) that the best player needs to play,” Cousins said at his introductory news conference Wednesday. “If that’s not me, I don’t want to be out there.

“I don’t think that’s the best thing for the team. But if I’m the best option, I believe it’s important that those guys are out there.”

The 14-year veteran had spoken openly about working with Mendoza during an appearance on NFL Network earlier in the day, but amended his rhetoric to a more theoretical tone when answering questions about the possibility of playing together during the news conference.

“I’ve watched him from a distance,” Cousins said. “He had an incredible college career. I got to run into him (Tuesday) during his draft visit. He seems like a high-caliber person and if we’re fortunate enough to get him here, it will be a privilege to work together.”

The most likely scenario involves Cousins starting at the beginning of the season and mentoring Mendoza until the organization decides he is ready to go.

“I’m excited to get the chance to lead and help influence in the locker room and do my part and do my role,” Cousins said. “Most importantly, just helping the team win.”

Cousins still believes he can do that on the field.

He insists he is rejuvenated and once again found his passion for the game when he started the last seven games of last season for the Falcons, winning the final four games.

Even though he will be 38 years old when the season begins, Cousins said he still feels like there is still a chance his best football is ahead of him.

“I certainly feel that way, but I’ve got to go prove it,” he said. “To just stand up here in April and say, ‘Oh yeah, my best football is ahead of me.’ That’s a pretty empty comment. But I believe that. It doesn’t really matter what I believe, though. I’ve got to go show that on the field this fall and even this spring, in practice and in training camp. But that’s a big reason why I’m excited to be here, is I do want to finish strong.

“We always talk in football, in games and practices and careers, start fast, finish strong. And, you know, I really want to finish my career strong, and I’ve got an opportunity to do that here in Vegas and want to make the most of it.”

Cousins believes the Raiders are the right place to make that happen.

He had other opportunities, including teams that don’t have a clear No. 1 quarterback on the roster or possess the No. 1 pick to bring in a franchise signal-caller like the Raiders are expected to do with Mendoza.

But he learned long ago to trust his hunches and something told him the Raiders were the right fit for him as he hit free agency following his release from the Falcons.

Cousins says that instinct was backed up the first time he put on a shirt with the iconic logo. He got further validation walking around the team facility, particularly when he saw famous quotes from Al Davis in prominent places around the building.

There was also the matter of a past relationship with Kubiak and several members of the offensive staff like coordinator Andrew Janocko and line coach Rick Dennison.

“Who knows, maybe my gut was wrong, but I’ve got to go with it, and my gut said that this is where I needed to be,” Cousins said. “You’ve got to kind of take that for what it is and let the chips fall where they may. But I believe strongly that you win with people, and I think getting around people that I felt really good about was probably a big reason why it made sense to me.”

Kubiak is a big part of that.

He and Cousins had a very close relationship when they worked together for three years with the Minnesota Vikings with Kubiak serving as quarterbacks coach for two years and offensive coordinator for one.

Cousins said he feels Kubiak’s scheme has evolved and he has grown as a coach, but the core principles remain the sam. He’s excited to see what Kubiak does now that he is a head coach for the first time.

“It starts with your effort, the way you attack, and then it’s very team-first, team-focused, making sure we put the team first and we play together as a team,” Cousins said of Kubiak’s philosophy. “A phrase he used in the team meeting yesterday was to ‘ride for the brand,’ meaning that you’re kind of doing whatever it takes to help our organization move forward in the right direction.

“That was really what he led with yesterday in the team meeting was just the importance of truly being a team, playing together and then playing with shocking effort, I believe, was the words he used. And that’s something that will be coached as long as they’re here, it’s going to be coached every day.”

Now Kubiak and his staff have another voice to push that message.

One that may also help on the field.

Thomas returns

The Raiders brought back tight end Ian Thomas on a one-year deal, the team announced Wednesday.

Thomas appeared in 15 games, including 10 starts for the Raiders last season. He had 13 catches for 114 yards.

He spent his first seven years with the Panthers and has 132 catches for 1,176 yards in 114 career games.

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