Jimmy Garoppolo, the Raiders’ backup quarterback, will now start Aidan O’Connell, a rookie.
Following the dismissals of general manager David Ziegler and coach Josh McDaniels on Tuesday night, the Las Vegas Raiders are still implementing significant roster adjustments.
According to sources with knowledge of the preparations, Jimmy Garoppolo, the team’s high-profile offseason signing, has been benched six starts into his stint in Vegas, as revealed on Wednesday by NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo. According to Rapoport and Garafolo, the Raiders plan to play rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell against the Giants on Sunday and going forward.
During their Wednesday press conference, interim head coach Antonio Pierce and general manager Champ Kelly affirmed that O’Connell would be the starting quarterback.
Pierce told reporters, “We just feel like he gives us the best chance.”
Kelly said, “The guys are pulling together for him.” “They are excited to watch him get his opportunity.”
With Garoppolo’s poor play and the coaching change, the decision to go with the rookie is not shocking. Now that the season is halfway over, the 3-5 Raiders may evaluate O’Connell further.
Due to Garoppolo’s absence due to a concussion in Week 4, the fourth-round selection has already made one start this season. In the 24-17 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, O’Connell caught seven sacks and completed 24 of 29 passes for 238 yards with one interception.
With a back ailment that kept Garoppolo out of the second game of the season, McDaniels decided to play veteran Brian Hoyer against the Chicago Bears. The choice proved to be disastrous as the seasoned quarterback managed just 129 passing yards and threw two interceptions during the crushing defeat on October 22.
It seems logical to turn to O’Connell at this point because the two seasoned veterans on the team are playing poorly.
An insider told Rapoport that O’Connell is the Raiders’ best quarterback, which explained why the team would ride with him.
That is a biting criticism of Garoppolo.
This offseason, Vegas signed Jimmy G to a three-year, $72.75 million contract, selecting him as McDaniels’ preferred choice to replace Derek Carr. The quarterback’s foot injury delayed the inaugural press conference as the parties worked out the health-related difficulties, giving the marriage an unsettling start. Although the contract was subsequently resolved, it hinted at future issues.
This season, Garoppolo—who had trouble staying healthy throughout his stays in San Francisco—has contended with injuries once more. A back ailment has caused him to miss two games and be eliminated from another at halftime. It wasn’t pretty while he was on the field. The quarterback, who started fewer games than other starting signal-callers, only produced one game of more than 208 yards passing, but he presently leads the NFL with nine interceptions.
In an offense not designed for Kyle Shanahan, Garoppolo found it difficult to move the ball, airmailed a number of throws, and was easily frightened by pressure. The terrible showing in Detroit on Monday night, which featured many deep passes that went horribly wrong for Davante Adams, seemed to be the straw that broke the camel’s head.
