This past offseason, the Las Vegas Raiders realized it had been far too long since they had someone they could call a franchise quarterback. After all, they haven’t earned a first-place finish in the division since 2002, back when the Raiders won the Super Bowl.
While the Raiders did manage to acquire a new quarterback, they can’t be happy with the results after trading a third-round pick and paying $75 million to Geno Smith, only to get a 2-11 record to show for it. Yet, last week, there was a crack in the foundation, where Smith suffered a right shoulder injury.
Smith’s departure opened the door for the Raiders to get an extended look at former first-round pick Kenny Pickett. The 27-year-old completed 10-of-14 passes for 105 yards and a touchdown.
Now, with Smith’s injury still bothering him, he’s viewed as “unlikely” to play on Sunday, which will thrust Pickett into the starting lineup. Of course, things could change by Sunday, but Smith hasn’t practiced with the team all week.
Pickett has a career record of 15-10, with 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Ironically enough, if Pickett starts on Sunday, he’ll be doing so against the team he was on last year, the Philadelphia Eagles.
That could give the defense a leg up on the competition, having gone against him in practice. Or perhaps the reverse is true, with Pickett able to share a few insider secrets about his old team with his new teammates.
Related: 2025 NFL QB Rankings: Where’s Shedeur Sanders?
