The Las Vegas Raiders may already be looking ahead to the 2025 NFL season. In Week 12, the AFC West team lost Gardner Minshew for the rest of the year, and they have now named a new starting quarterback to take over in his place.
Recent years have been incredibly challenging for the Raiders. Despite being considered underdogs, the team from Nevada has struggled to meet expectations, and now they are undergoing a massive rebuild in hopes of returning to relevance.
Things took a turn for the worse in Week 11. In their 29-19 loss to the Broncos, Gardner Minshew suffered a broken collarbone, ending his 2024 season. As a result, the Raiders were forced to name a new starting quarterback for the remainder of the year.
Raiders make surprising decision to replace Gardner Minshew as starting QB
The 2024 season has certainly not gone as planned for the Raiders. After parting ways with Jimmy Garoppolo, the team sought a quarterback who could at least keep them competitive and avoid the disappointment of the Garoppolo experiment.
see also
Antonio Pierce confirms Raiders lose key player to season-ending injury before facing Mahomes, Chiefs
In the free agency market, the Raiders found Gardner Minshew available. The team signed him to compete against Aidan O’Connell for the starting role, and it was Minshew who ultimately won the job.
However, Minshew’s tenure as the starter did not go smoothly. The Raiders even benched him in favor of O’Connell, but when O’Connell suffered a thumb injury in Week 7, Minshew was forced back into the starting role.
Now, the Raiders are turning back to Aidan O’Connell as their starting quarterback, per NFL Media. Following Minshew’s season-ending injury, O’Connell will take the reins for their Week 13 matchup against the Chiefs.
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 20: Aidan O’Connell #12 of the Las Vegas Raiders runs with the ball against the Los Angeles Rams during the first quarter at SoFi Stadium on October 20, 2024 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
This move has taken many by surprise. Earlier in the year, the Raiders had acquired Desmond Ridder, who had a respectable stint with the Falcons. It was expected that Ridder would start against Kansas City, but with O’Connell now fully recovered from his injury, the Raiders opted to go with him instead.
Will the Raiders select a new quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft?
Since the departure of Derek Carr, the Raiders have struggled to find a reliable quarterback. The Jimmy Garoppolo experiment was a failure, and the quarterback position remains crucial to any NFL team’s success.
see also
NFL imposes multiple fines on key players for Antonio Pierce, Las Vegas Raiders
As of now, the Raiders find themselves in a strong position to select a quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft. With a 2-9 record, they currently hold the No. 3 overall pick, which they are expected to use on a top-tier quarterback prospect to lead their team into the future.
SurveyShould the Raiders tank in order to secure the No. 1 overall pick in 2025?
Should the Raiders tank in order to secure the No. 1 overall pick in 2025?
ALREADY VOTED 0 PEOPLE
