After shakeup, Raiders to start O’Connell at QB

Paul Gutierrez, ESPN Staff WriterNov 1, 2023, 04:13 PM ET
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HENDERSON, Nev. — Las Vegas Raiders rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell will start in place of high-priced and oft-injured veteran Jimmy Garoppolo beginning Sunday against the New York Giants at Allegiant Stadium.

The change comes in the wake of the Raiders firing coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler.

“It will be Aidan going forward,” interim coach Antonio Pierce said Wednesday.

Pierce was promoted from linebackers coach, and assistant general manager Champ Kelly was elevated to interim GM.

McDaniels was the offensive playcaller, and it was his scheme the Raiders were running. With offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi also fired, the Raiders are promoting quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree to offensive coordinator and playcaller.

The question remains, though — if the NFL’s No. 31-ranked total offense in yards per game was the problem, and it was McDaniels’ scheme, what system do the Raiders run going forward? Two years ago, when then-coach Jon Gruden resigned, the Raiders maintained his system and new playcaller Greg Olson, a previous offensive coordinator in the league, put his own spin on it. Hardegree has never been an NFL playcaller, and you have to wonder what playbook he will use.

O’Connell, a fourth-round pick out of Purdue, started the Raiders’ Week 4 loss at the Los Angeles Chargers, when Garoppolo was out with a concussion, and came on in relief of 15-season veteran Brian Hoyer in Las Vegas’ Week 7 loss at the Chicago Bears, when Garoppolo was out with a back injury.

In his limited action, O’Connell has completed 65.4% of his passes (34 of 52) for 313 yards, with one touchdown pass and two interceptions for a rating of 72.0 and a Total QBR of 7.6. He has also been sacked seven times and has lost two of his three fumbles. However, he is seen as having a stronger arm than Garoppolo or Hoyer, a necessity for the vertical game missing from the Raiders’ playbook.

Garoppolo, meanwhile, is struggling through his worst season as a full-time starter after signing a three-year, $72.75 million free agent contract with Las Vegas in March and then immediately having surgery on his left foot. He is completing 65.5% of his passes (110 of 168) for 1,205 yards, with seven touchdowns and a league-leading nine interceptions, despite missing 2½ games with injuries.

Garoppolo is guaranteed $11.25 million for the 2024 season. His base salary, also $11.25 million, would become guaranteed on the fifth day of the 2024 league year.