Running back for the Raiders in 2023: As the NFL season comes to an end,
Henderson, Nevada When Aidan O’Connell played against the Los Angeles Chargers on October 1st, it turned ugly.
The rookie quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders was sacked seven times. He lost two and fumbled three times.
In the final 24-17 loss, O’Connell was also picked off once within the Chargers’ 5-yard line while the Raiders were trying to score a game-tying touchdown with little over two minutes remaining.
Who’s having supper on Thursday? Yes, Khalil Mack and company (8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video), who had six of their league-high fifteen sacks that day.
Still, though…
O’Connell and the Raiders’ performance in their 3-0 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday was worse than how things turned out for them the previous time they faced the Chargers.
To the extent that any doubts about whether O’Connell, the Raiders’ penultimate pick in the fourth round of the NFL draft in April, represents the team’s future at the position may have been resolved. Not that O’Connell was the reason Las Vegas lost to an offensively bankrupt Vikings club, but the Raiders probably would have won by three points if their quarterback had played any sort of competent game.
This means that, with four games left and the Raiders (5-8) still holding onto slim hopes of making the playoffs, this is a good time to monitor Las Vegas’ quarterback situation moving forward.
However, discussing the most crucial position in team sports just leads to further questions about the Raiders and creates a situation that is akin to a choose-your-own-adventure game.
Coach Interim for RAIDERS Despite the absence of offensive spark following the bye week, Pierce rode with O’Connell until the crucial finish against the Vikings, displaying an incredible level of loyalty that has earned him the nickname “BFF.” In the midst of an equally offensive slump, the Vikings even ventured to switch quarterbacks during the fourth quarter. The Raiders All-Pro receiver Davante Adams deemed the result “embarrassing,” as Minnesota won the lowest-scoring indoor game in NFL history thanks to a field goal from Nick Mullens, who took over for the injured quarterback.
“When we started Aidan at quarterback, we knew what we were going to get,” Pierce remarked. “This was not one of our finer performances, and there would be some ups and downs.”
To some extent, he is correct.
Because O’Connell returned from a bye week to record a QBR of 16.8 against the Vikings, following up his second-best QBR (88.6) in the NFL in Week 12 against the Kansas City Chiefs. His QBRs have varied from the spectacular (82.7 against the New York Giants in Week 9) to the absurd (20.9 against the Miami Dolphins in Week 11 and 8.1 against the Chargers, respectively).
“I have faith in my ability to perform and carry out my duties appropriately,” O’Connell declared following his game-winning interception against the Vikings and his completion of 21 of 32 throws for 171 yards.
He has completed 63.8% of his throws for 1,365 yards this season in seven games—six of which he has started—along with four touchdown passes and seven interceptions. In his starts, the Raiders are 2-4 compared to 3-3 under veteran Jimmy Garoppolo and 0-1 under veteran Brian Hoyer, who is 38 years old.
Even yet, O’Connell had a few influential backers in the locker room before to the Vikings defeat.
Josh Jacobs, an All-Pro running back, stated, “I just want to see him go out there and play.” “Avoid overthinking things. Simply go forth and make a statement. It’s not like you have a lot to lose. Simply go have fun and demonstrate your abilities.”
Adams agreed.
“Believe in yourself and carry out his routine, just as he did during the preseason when he was playing with excellent rhythm,” Adams advised. “Just kind of remind himself of his capabilities and continue to build.” We love him and will back him every step of the way; there is no pressure from any of us. All I want is for him to be himself and feel at ease in public.”
However, O’Connell didn’t look at ease against the Vikings, and it cost the Raiders. Sufficient to address those seemingly difficult queries regarding the most crucial role in team sports, surely?
“I need to improve my performance because I haven’t done it well enough,” O’Connell conceded. “However, I still have total faith in my ability to complete this. Every week, I’m learning what it takes and putting in a ton of effort to try to get a quality product onto the market. I need to improve because I’m not doing it at the moment.”
But how long will this last?
Could $72.75 million player Garoppolo, who was benched following the firings of offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi, general manager Dave Ziegler, and coach Josh McDaniels on Halloween night, have another chance to turn around the Raiders? Even if he does, given that he is healthy for the first time since agreeing to that three-year, $45 million guaranteed free-agent contract in March, is he really the player of the future? Recall that Mark Davis, the owner of the Raiders, had to undoubtedly approve of Garoppolo’s benching.
After the previous administration benched nine-year starter Derek Carr and, perhaps related, after Tom Brady announced his retirement—this time for good—Garoppolo arrived in Las Vegas. In response, the Raiders made Garoppolo sign a waiver stating that he would not be paid until he passed a physical despite the fact that he needed surgery on his left foot before he could join the team.
During the offseason, he did not engage in any on-field activities. However, as training camp started, he was there, physically passing, taking snaps on the field—albeit on a “pitch count” to help him along. His teammates were in awe of his leadership abilities, and he was the undisputed starter.
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The coaching staff and locker room crowded around him, but his 40-17 regular-season record as a starter with the New England Patriots and San Francisco 49ers demonstrated that he was a winner. However, his well-documented history of injuries surfaced almost immediately. Late in the Raiders’ Week 3 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Garoppolo’s head struck the turf at Allegiant Stadium. Although he did not leave the game, he was placed in the NFL’s concussion protocol and missed the next game, which led to O’Connell’s debut.
After missing the following week’s game against the Green Bay Packers due to a back issue, Garoppolo was carted to the hospital at halftime due to concerns about an abdominal injury. He traveled to Soldier Field to observe Hoyer struggle so severely in the first half that O’Connell relieved him late, thus he was unable to attend the Week 7 loss against the Chicago Bears. A week later, on “Monday Night Football,” the Detroit Lions humiliated Garoppolo and the Raiders 26-14.
After being sacked six times and completing 10 of 21 passes for 126 yards with an interception in that game, a worn-out Garoppolo was asked whether he felt like he was always playing catch-up due to his offseason surgery and in-season ailments. He shrugged.
Garoppolo stopped and said, “Yeah, I mean, I’m not. I’ll never make an explanation like that.” That’s just the way things are. Now is the time of year. It doesn’t matter to them if you have an excuse or not; you simply need to go have fun. I need to improve my game.
“Dude, that locker room is filled with love. That’s a bad performance that we gave.”
In the meantime, McDaniels was questioned about his thoughts on switching quarterbacks.
McDaniels stated, “I’m not going to comment about that right now.” Less than 48 hours after he made his last official statement as Raiders coach, Pierce said that O’Connell would be the team’s going forward.
Garoppolo was expected to fit right in with McDaniels’ offense considering their previous New England partnership. However, along with his 35.7 Total QBR and 78.1 passer rating, his 65.5% completion percentage is the lowest of his career in any season in which he has started at least six games. His prior lowest points were 53.3 and 92.4, in that order. Furthermore, Garoppolo led the NFL in interceptions with nine during his benching, and his 5.4% interception percentage this season far above his 2.7% career average.
Because of this, his future in Las Vegas is uncertain at best. In September, the Raiders freed up salary cap space by turning $21.3 million of his regular salary into a signing bonus. The Raiders take a risk by starting Garoppolo on the field again because his base pay of $11.25 million for 2024 is only guaranteed in the event of an injury. Garoppolo is guaranteed $33.75 million because of the restructure.
Even so, the Raiders would have to absorb a $28.3 million salary cap hit for 2024 if they terminated him before the following season, unless they did so with a post-June 1 designation. The dead-cap hit would then be divided between them over a two-year period, with $15.5 million coming in 2024 and $12.8 million in 2025.
Who will be the Raiders’ starting quarterback if O’Connell and Garoppolo leave? When the Bears selected quarterback Justin Fields in the 2021 draft, interim general manager Champ Kelly served as the team’s assistant director of player personnel. Should the Bears select to draft a quarterback with the first overall choice this year, Fields might be available in a trade.
However, Davis is the only player who can be counted on to be at the facility come spring, and the owner wants a large quarterback who can run plays and has a strong arm.
I mean, who doesn’t?
Aside from Garoppolo, it’s been a while since the Raiders made a big trade or used free agency to acquire a seasoned stopgap. However, it is nearly as much a part of the franchise’s DNA as the hues black and silver.
Jim Plunkett, Carson Palmer, Jason Campbell, Rich Gannon, Jay Schroeder, Jeff Hostetler, Jeff George, and Kerry Collins are paging me.
Of course, some people were much more successful than others, but could Davis ask the Raiders to follow in the footsteps of his late father Al?
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In addition to Fields, veteran players Kyler Murray, Kirk Cousins, who recently suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon, and Ryan Tannehill may be available during the offseason.
Once more, you get to pick the adventure, right?
Everything about this exercise is uncertain until Davis selects a new general manager and coach, or continues working with Kelly and/or Pierce. A new staff will undoubtedly want its own guy, as we witnessed with Ziegler and McDaniels. When Jon Gruden was hired back in 2018, he wasn’t even completely convinced on Carr at first—he was more interested in Murray at first before throwing his support behind Carr.
Would it then be more prudent for the team’s long-term viability to lose out (without going into the tank), obtain a top-five pick, and use it to acquire a legitimate franchise quarterback? Remember, since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, the Raiders have only used a first-round pick on a quarterback three times. The memory of those three instances—Marc Wilson in 1980, Todd Marinovich in 1991, and JaMarcus Russell in 2007—are not good ones for a jaded Raider Nation.
Who is calling the shots if the Raiders try to grab players like Blake Williams of USC, Drake Maye of North Carolina, or even Jayden Daniels of LSU, who is close with Pierce from their days at Arizona State and shouted out the Raiders interim coach after winning the Heisman Trophy?
According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, if the draft were to take place today, the Raiders would have the sixth overall pick. Other quarterbacks that might or should be available there include Bo Nix of Oregon and Michael Penix Jr. of Washington, two Heisman finalists, and possibly Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, who might decide to return for another season.
