Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew will not play for the rest of the season due to a broken collarbone, coach Antonio Pierce announced on Monday. Minshew got hurt late in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 29-19 loss to the Denver Broncos.
Pierce now has to choose whether Aidan O’Connell or Desmond Ridder will start the game on Friday at Kansas City. The Raiders, who have lost seven straight games and are now 2-9, need a boost. Minshew’s role as the starting quarterback was uncertain even before his injury. He threw 10 interceptions and only nine touchdown passes this season and lost four fumbles.
It’s possible the coaching staff would have turned to O’Connell or Ridder even if Minshew hadn’t been hurt. O’Connell has been on injured reserve because of a broken thumb but was allowed to return to practice on Monday. This gives the Raiders three weeks to decide when to activate him, during which time O’Connell will not count against the roster.
With the short week, things are a bit more complicated. Pierce mentioned that there wouldn’t be normal practices, but they would still check if O’Connell is ready to play. He said he would make sure O’Connell can grip the ball without pain.
“Putting a player out there who’s hurting or injured still, that’s not going to benefit the player or our team,” Pierce said.
O’Connell started the second half of last season as a rookie and led the Raiders to a 5-4 record. He lost the starting job to Minshew in preseason but got it back six games into the season before getting injured a week later against the Los Angeles Rams.
The Raiders might also consider Ridder, who replaced Minshew when he was hurt on Sunday. Ridder, signed off Arizona’s practice squad on October 21, started 13 games for Atlanta last season, passing for 2,836 yards and 12 touchdowns with 12 interceptions. In relief of Minshew against the Broncos, Ridder completed 5 of 10 passes for 64 yards and took the Raiders to Denver’s 1-yard line before the game ended.
“He’s a competitor,” Pierce said. “Obviously, he was dealt a difficult hand. He was thrown in the fire with no reps, but he did move the ball downfield.”
The Raiders might also consider signing Daniel Jones, who was recently released by the New York Giants. Pierce called this the “third and fourth” option, but he said the general manager, Tom Telesco, would look into it. Jones, who was the sixth pick in the 2019 NFL draft, went 24-44-1 as a starter for the Giants and was signed to a four-year, $160 million contract in March 2023.
