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'Raiders Announce QB Gardner Minshew Will Miss Rest of Season, Turn to Aidan O'Connell'

'Raiders Announce QB Gardner Minshew Will Miss Rest of Season, Turn to Aidan O'Connell'
Michael Taker
By Michael Taker
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'Raiders Announce QB Gardner Minshew Will Miss Rest of Season, Turn to Aidan O'Connell' | Picks n' Previews

Las Vegas quarterback Gardner Minshew will be sidelined for the remainder of the season due to a fractured collarbone, as confirmed by head coach Antonio Pierce on Monday. This leaves the Raiders with a tight timeframe to determine their starting quarterback.

Minshew sustained the injury during a sack in the fourth quarter of the Raiders' 29-19 loss to the Denver Broncos at home.

Former starting quarterback Aidan O'Connell, who has been out with a thumb injury since Week 7, may return from injured reserve in time for the Raiders (2-9) to face the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs (10-1), on Friday.

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"We will assess Aidan's condition," Pierce stated. "He has been making progress."

O'Connell has entered the 21-day practice window and the Raiders are currently deciding when to activate him.

"We want to make sure he can comfortably grip the ball without any pain and be efficient," Pierce explained. "It's not beneficial for the player or the team to put someone out there who is injured."

O'Connell, 26, has played in four games this season, starting two (both losses). He has completed 52 of 82 passes (63.4 percent) for 455 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions.

Last season, as a rookie, O'Connell started 10 out of 11 games and had a record of 5-5. He completed 213 of 343 passes (62.1 percent) for 2,218 yards, 12 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.

The Raiders drafted O'Connell in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

"Obviously, with the quarterback position, intelligence is crucial," Pierce said. "I believe that Aidan has a bright future ahead of him. I will rely on the expertise of our medical staff and doctors."

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Desmond Ridder replaced Minshew in the game and completed 5 of 10 passes for 64 yards. Ridder, 25, has played in three games this season for the Raiders and has completed 16 of 26 passes (61.5 percent) for 138 yards and one touchdown.

Ridder previously played for the Atlanta Falcons for two seasons after being drafted in the third round of the 2022 draft. In his career, he has completed 338 of 529 passes (63.9 percent) for 3,682 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in 22 games (17 starts) with a record of 8-9.

Minshew, 28, completed 25 of 42 passes for 230 yards with one touchdown and one interception against the Broncos. He finished his first season with the Raiders with 2,013 yards, nine touchdowns, and 10 interceptions on 66.3 percent passing.

He joined the Raiders through free agency after playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars (2019-2020), Philadelphia Eagles (2021-2022), and Indianapolis Colts (2023). He won the starting job during training camp but was benched multiple times for O'Connell as the Raiders struggled as a team.

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