So, what modified to immediate Pierce to resolve that it’s time?
“We’ve bought to get able to play soccer, and I believe we’ve bought sufficient movie,” Pierce instructed the media following the staff’s first preseason contest. “We’ll have two video games right here (by that time) to judge each quarterbacks to see how they’ll play.”
It’s at present a two-man race between veteran Gardner Minshew and second-year passer Aidan O’Connell. O’Connell began 10 video games (together with the final 9 video games of the season) for Las Vegas final yr as a fourth-round rookie out of Purdue. Taking up for a benched Jimmy Garoppolo, he went 5-5 in these begins, finishing 62.1 p.c of his passes with 12 touchdowns to seven interceptions.
Minshew’s profession as a starter has been a rollercoaster. Drafted out of Washington State as a backup for Nick Foles in Jacksonville, Minshew was instantly pushed into motion when Foles suffered an harm that may maintain him out for many of the season. Minshew turned an in a single day sensation that season, going 6-6 in 12 begins and throwing 21 touchdowns to solely six interceptions. He entered the next season because the starter, however accidents and a 1-7 report pushed him out of the position.
Minshew was traded to the Eagles, the place he began 4 video games over the following two years as a backup to Jalen Hurts. His rookie contract expired, and Minshew signed with the Colts, hoping to win an open beginning job post-Matt Ryan. Indianapolis ended up drafting Anthony Richardson fourth general within the first spherical, however Richardson bought harm, ultimately lacking the ultimate 12 video games of the season. Minshew took over because the Colts’ starter, and returned to his normal self, excelling as a shock starter. In 13 begins, Minshew went 7-6 final yr.
O’Connell began the Raiders’ first preseason recreation, taking part in one quarter of soccer. He went seven of 9 for 76 yards as he led the staff on an 83-yard area aim drive to open the scoring for Las Vegas. Minshew took over within the second quarter, taking part in 4 sequence. He accomplished six of 12 cross makes an attempt for 117 yards and a landing.
The Raiders have been considered as a staff that might have drafted a quarterback within the first spherical again in April, one that might have competed with these two unlikely beginning candidates, however they as a substitute opted to pick the draft’s prime tight finish prospect in Georgia’s Brock Bowers. In a current interview on Scoop Metropolis, Raiders common supervisor Tom Telesco detailed that the staff didn’t “cross” on a quarterback, he simply believes the draft didn’t shake out in a method that allowed them to take a passer. There have been six quarterbacks taken earlier than their choice, and the following passer wasn’t chosen till the fifth spherical. If one thing fell to them, the Raiders may need had one other competitor for this job. Because it performed out, although, they as a substitute bought a brand new weapon for the rivals they’ve now.
These rivals will now have every week to show their mettle. Every week of practices and a preseason recreation towards the Cowboys is all they’ve now to show they deserve the beginning job. We’ll maintain a detailed eye on any developments within the coming week.
