The Raiders are navigating a delicate end to the 2025 season and head coach Pete Carroll has difficult decisions coming in the team’s final three games.
Making matters even more complicated for Carroll is the fact that he most likely won’t be back next year, but flagship radio host ‘JT the Brick’ shared a few moves he would like to see the Raiders make to put the organization in the best position possible for next year.
“So what do you want to do? You want to fire the coach? I understand there’s a group of people who want to do that,” JT said on his Monday Raider Nation Radio show.
“You want to bench the quarterback? I’m with you. I’d say it’s all Aiden O’Connell now. Don’t need to see anything other than Aiden O’Connell. That probably won’t happen. I’m also talking about limiting Ashton Jeanty’s carries. I think most of you agree with that. We don’t have to run him into the brick wall. If you want to, if Maxx’s knee doesn’t drain properly, you want to sit Maxx, I don’t think it’s possible, do that.”
“You want to play Tommy Eichenberg instead of Devin White? Hallelujah, brother. All day long. I’m with you on all that. You want to get the first pick in the draft? Totally get what you’re saying. I totally think Mendoza seems to be a must now.”
For anyone who listens to JT, what stood out most in his comments were his thoughts on Mendoza.
No one on radio or media has preached against tanking more than JT, but it sounds like he understands the importance of giving the team the most realistic path possible to getting the player everyone seems to agree is the best quarterback in this year’s draft class.
As for JT’s thoughts on O’Connell, they made sense as well.
There is nothing more the Raiders need to see from Smith or Kenny Pickett.
JT didn’t say it, but neither should be back next year. Smith might be a respectable veteran quarterback but given the way 2025 played out for him, it doesn’t make sense to put Smith back in the spotlight in 2026.
Most likely, O’Connell isn’t going to stand out, either, but it would benefit the organization to give him one more opportunity before going into an offseason that is going to involve massive decisions at the quarterback position.
x: @raidersbeat
I would not like to see Aiden O’Connell. We have seen enough of him the last 2 yrs to know he is not the qb of the future. He was out played by Cam Miller in the preseason. O’Connell hopefully shouldn’t be back next year. Trade him or cut him loose. What can a rookie learn from him? Answer NOTHING.
Aiden could’ve been a starting in this league had there been stability and some protection. His career was ruined with the raiders.
Putting any blame on his skill is erroneous.
Put a non-mobile quarterback under center? You already have negative credit for a dumbass statement like that. And you get paid to run your pie hole? Pathetic.
Maybe JT should hang a steak around his neck and run around 66 and Hegenberger and let some of the Homies take shots at him to see how mobile he is.
I stopped listening to this obnoxious fraud decades ago. What took you?
Don’t play Adrian, he just might win a game and move us out of the first pick, you need to rest Crosby he will play all out but if you got a bad knee, he’s your star on defense, you need to play the young guys to see what you got, we done seeing enough of the old guys, time to say goodbye to them, as for Mendoza he’s a tough quarterback he is smart, tall he makes plays and he is a Heisman trophy winner, but the bigger question is what coach is out there that could be great at grooming a quarterback, one name that keeps coming back is John Gruden, but who else is out there ??
Not much to be gained playing O’Connell at this point either. Since it will most likely be a new coaching staff. There is game film on O’Connell from 23 and 24. With the offensive line being as bad as it is right now he isn’t going to show much anyway.
If they are going to play anybody it should be Miller to see if he is anything at all. He is the only QB in the Organization that doesn’t have any regular season NFL game film.
We already know as of right now O’Connell is actually the only QB that is all but guaranteed to be back in 26.
Smith will probably be released. Pickett will be an FA.
O’Connell is under contract for 1 more season, and at least there is game film on him from the previous 2 seasons. So rather he plays a snap or not this season won’t effect his roster status much in 26. He will be having to learn another new system for another new coaching staff. Just like any other QB on the roster next season.
More would be gained by letting Miller play these final 3 games. Get some actual regular season game film on him. To determine if he is even worth being given a futures contract at the end of the season, and brought back into training camp next year.
O’Connell will be back if for no other reason in that he has one more season left on his 4th round rookie contract. So rather he plays or not for a team presently in contention for the #1 overall Pick won’t matter much at this point. He will get another shot next season regardless.