The Raiders sent a fifth-round pick to the Browns for Kenny Pickett in August, and it’s starting to feel like that decision might not have been a good one.
Despite Geno Smith’s struggles in the first half of the season, head coach Pete Carroll hasn’t been willing to play Pickett and former Raider great Lincoln Kennedy said this week that the coaching staff has more confidence in Aidan O’Connell than Pickett.
“There are a lot of coaches that believe more in Aidan O’Connell than in Kenny Pickett,” Kennedy said on the Locked on Raiders Squad Show podcast.
“I’ve sensed that from just the nomenclature and everything that’s been going on around the locker room “that I’ve seen,” Kennedy contin it’s just a feel that I get from a sense of watching things go. With that being said, it’s one of those things where if Aidan O’Connell is going to be your number two or is going to get back into your number two, the big thing is… it doesn’t matter who’s the quarterback. You got to get this offensive line situation figured out.”
Sports Illustrated insider Hondo Carpenter talked about the Raiders’ backup quarterback situation this week, as well, and he shared an even stronger stance on Pickett.
“Clearly, they don’t believe in Kenny Pickett. That’s just the reality. They don’t believe in him,” Carpenter said this week on the Las Vegas Raiders Insider podcast.
“Fair or unfair, I’m not in practice to see that,” Carpenter continued. “So I’m going to take their word for it. Well, they haven’t come out and said it, but their actions have. They don’t believe in Kenny. But I think you want to get some reps for Aiden. When you come out and say your quarterback who hasn’t even been elevated back to the 53 is getting reps against the 1s, that’s not a great look. That’s not a great look for your backup guy, Kenny Pickett.”
Whatever is going on with Pickett, his position on the depth chart adds to the growing list of coaching decisions that haven’t reflected well on GM John Spytek.
As poorly as Smith has performed, there have been plenty of opportunities for the Raiders to get an extended look at Pickett in game situations – but that definitely clearly hasn’t been a priority.
Pickett is in the final year of his rookie contract and will become an unrestricted free agent after the season.
x: @raidersbeat
FIRE BRENNAN CARROLL!
AOC is better than either Pickett or Smith but then that’s not really saying much.