After a 3-0 loss to the Vikings on Sunday, the idea was brought up that the Raiders maybe should have benched Aidan O’Connell for Jimmy Garoppolo in the second half.
The Vikings made a quarterback change in the fourth quarter and their reward turned out to be a game-winning field goal with just under 2 minutes remaining in the game.
The Raiders are now on the brink of being eliminated from the playoffs and it appears they are going to stick with O’Connell against the Chargers on Thursday night.
It’s possible that Garoppolo will play again this year, but the Raiders (or more specifically, Mark Davis) might have $11 million in financial motivation to keep Garoppolo on the sideline for the remainder of the season.
The explanation for that thinking came this week from Sports Illustrated insider Hondo Carpenter, on the Las Vegas Raiders Insider podcast…
“There’s about $11 million that they can still get out of next year. I’m not going to get into all of the semantics of how because it’s long and we’re not getting into that today. But if he gets injured, like Derek Carr last year, they’re not going to be able to get rid of him and that money is going to be guaranteed.”
Derek Carr had more money on the line than Garoppolo, but if the Raiders are certain that Garoppolo isn’t a part of the long-term plan, would $11 million be enough reason to give Garoppolo the end-of-season Carr treatment?
It happened before. No reason it can’t happen again.
twitter: @raidersbeat
We aren’t going anywhere. Just let O’Connel ride out the season. See if he can improve and draft a quarterback.
My only question is, if we play him, and he is decent, we may be able to trade him. Right now he is just sitting there. And it has become obvious that O’Connell’s ceiling is WAY too low to be worrying about giving him more time. He’s a decent backup at best.
Come on RaiderNation, STOP with the playoff talk! This is not a playoff caliber team. We drastically need a starting QB and improved talent along the OL. Other than the LT we need upgrades at all other OL positions.
I totally agree with you!!!!
EXACTLY, MIGHT EVEN CONSIDER MOVING MILLER ALSO FOR DRAFT CAPITAL, HE’S GETTING HURT A BUNCH OF GAMES NOW & GETTING UP THERE IN AGE!!! HATE TO SAY IT BUT LOOKS LIKE WERE GONNA BE IN ANOTHER FULL BLOWN REBUILD CAUSE ADAMS & JACOBS WILL BOTH DEMAND TRADES, THEEE LIKE US, TIRED OF F’N LOOSING😩
Raiders SUCK! ’nuff said.
Raider Nation do the math. Do you really think we are in a position to be the “Longshot” surprise team to make the playoffs this year? Our BIGGEST WIN was when Mark Davis fired Josh McDaniels off our 50 yard line. We got the Raider Way back !!! Let’s move forward and prepare for brighter days ahead.
Right now it isn’t about the playoffs, the draft position, it about AP and Aiden O’Connell saving their job for 2024.