Raiders name Gardner Minshew as starting QB for Week 1

HENDERSON, Nev. — Gardner Minshew will open the season because the Las Vegas Raiders’ beginning quarterback, coach Antonio Pierce introduced Sunday.

Minshew, who signed with the Raiders as a free agent this offseason, was competing with Aidan O’Connell for the job.

“Quite a lot of issues went into it,” Pierce mentioned. “It wasn’t based mostly off of [solely] final night time. There’s quite a lot of components. So, we really feel like Gardner provides us one of the best alternative to get off to a quick begin, and that is what we’re going with. We help him, our group’s behind it, our employees’s behind it, the group’s behind it.”

The Raiders open the 2024 season on the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 1.

Requested particularly what went into the choice, Pierce identified the “expertise” of Minshew, who’s getting into his sixth NFL season, in addition to the totality of the competitors.

“The operation, the method and simply every little thing we noticed in observe,” Pierce mentioned. “A few of it confirmed up within the video games. Quite a lot of stuff we are able to get higher at. I do not assume something here’s a completed product however based mostly off of the place we need to go within the first quarter of the season, we really feel like Gardner provides us one of the best alternative.”

Minshew, 28, is on his fourth group after signing a two-year, $25 million contract, together with $15 million assured, with the Raiders on March 14.

In two preseason video games, he threw for 212 yards on 16-of-33 passing with a landing. The cell Minshew additionally had 12 yards speeding on two makes an attempt.

O’Connell, in the meantime, was a mixed 21-of-29 for 172 yards with a TD and an interception, which was returned for a landing.

“I feel we each put collectively an excellent physique of labor, performed some nice ball and left it as much as Coach to make a tough determination,” Minshew mentioned after the Raiders’ lackluster 27-12 exhibition loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday night time at Allegiant Stadium.

“I am tremendous optimistic about what we’re going to have the ability to do as a group this 12 months and simply trying ahead to this 12 months, generally.”

Pierce mentioned the choice to go together with Minshew was made after consulting with basic supervisor Tom Telesco and offensive coordinator Luke Getsy.

“His persona is infectious, his power is infectious, his management is infectious,” Pierce mentioned of Minshew. “Issues of enchancment — [his] footwork within the pocket, staying on script.

“There may be some magic about him when he does break the pocket and does his factor, however there’s quite a lot of occasions the place if the primary [or] second learn is there, we have to let it rip. So, he understands that. And extra importantly, caring for the soccer.”

O’Connell, a fourth-round choose in 2023 who was put in as a rookie starter by Pierce when he was elevated to interim coach on Nov. 1, completed sturdy final season. He threw eight landing passes with out an interception within the Raiders’ closing 4 video games, when Las Vegas went 3-1.

The Raiders’ lone loss in that stretch? To Minshew and the Indianapolis Colts on New Yr’s Eve.

“These two gents are professionals,” Pierce mentioned. “The way in which they’ve dealt with this competitors has actually resonated all through our constructing … they’ve cheered one another on, they have been good teammates, they’ve introduced out one of the best model of one another in practices and, I feel, within the video games. They each took it on the chin like a champ. And I advised them, simply each be prepared. Within the Nationwide Soccer League, you by no means know.

“However Aidan is a younger participant that has an amazing upside that I feel will nonetheless be a starter right here on this league … shall be a starter in some unspecified time in the future on this league, if it is this 12 months or subsequent 12 months, however he’ll play in video games. And I feel Gardner has performed a very good job of … being that older presence. He is performed a few years within the league, and he is been by way of some adversity, in order that’s been good for Aidan.”

Whereas this would be the sixth straight season Minshew begins not less than one recreation, his solely different Week 1 begin got here in 2020 with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Minshew shall be beginning for his fourth completely different franchise since 2020, tying Andy Dalton, Carson Wentz and Baker Mayfield for essentially the most in that span, in response to ESPN Stats & Info analysis. The Minnesota Vikings’ Sam Darnold will even possible be part of this checklist this season.