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?
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