DECEMBER 12: Pickett will start on Sunday, Carroll announced (via Rapoport).
DECEMBER 10: Geno Smith‘s Raiders debut has not gone as expected, something that could be applied to the Las Vegas situation as a whole. The Smith-Pete Carroll floor-raising hopes are dashed, and the Super Bowl-winning HC is in danger of being a one-and-done — for a franchise that has failed to find stability this decade.
The Raiders lost Smith to a shoulder injury in Week 14, a loss to the Broncos, and the well-paid starter is not expected to return to face the Eagles in Week 15. Kenny Pickett is on track to start against one of his former teams, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes. This injury comes weeks after Smith suffered a quad contusion; the latter ailment did not force him to miss any starts.
Philadelphia traded Pickett after one season, marking the second of the former first-rounder’s three trade transactions to occur since March 2024. Philly sent Pickett to Cleveland this past March, leading to rumblings he would be the favorite to start for the Browns to open the season. A significant hamstring injury sidetracked any Pickett-QB1 hopes in Cleveland, and the Browns dealt him to the Raiders — who were looking for an Aidan O’Connell injury replacement — just before the season.
Although O’Connell is back off IR, the Raiders turned to Pickett to replace Smith on Sunday. Pickett threw a touchdown pass in garbage time, completing 8 of 11 passes for 97 yards. The Eagles installed the ex-Steeler draftee as their backup last season, acquiring him in a trade package headlined by a third-round pick, but decided Tanner McKee was ready to move up this offseason. Pickett facing a reeling Philly squad would certainly be interesting given both sides’ familiarity, though the Raiders’ current form makes them heavy underdogs regardless of QB.
Who the Raiders start in Week 15 is obviously less significant than their post-2025 plans, given their 2-11 record. Smith’s extension stood to buy the team some time in its quest for a true answer at QB. The team did not want Sam Darnold and joined the Giants in striking out on Matthew Stafford. One of the QB-needy teams to pass on Shedeur Sanders, the Raiders still profile as a team interested in a first-round addition here.
Smith’s two-year, $75MM extension runs through 2027 and carries $18.5MM in guaranteed salary for 2026. That would be the only dead money the Raiders would need to eat in the event of a release. Smith’s form this season certainly makes his Vegas future unstable, particularly if Carroll is out after one year.
Smith, 35, angled for a Seahawks extension and declined an offer similar in value to Darnold’s three-year, $100.5MM deal. He expected to be a Raider after Carroll was hired but has struggled for most of the season. Smith’s 14 interceptions lead the league, and only Cam Ward sits behind him (among 31 qualified passers) in QBR.
A return to the backup level may well be in the cards — via a Raiders demotion after a first-round investment or elsewhere — for 2026. For now, it will be interesting to see if Smith reclaims his job. Carroll has backed his former Seattle pupil this year, but concern about Smith’s form emerged as early as October. What is clear is the Raiders, who had Derek Carr in place as QB1 for nine seasons, will be looking hard at QBs for a fourth straight offseason.
And Fox has the bright idea of Raiders-Eagles as a featured early game because NFC East uber alles.
Unless your Fox station is in Pennsylvania, Nevada, or north Texas, Fox is waving the white flag if the early game involves the Raiders. (Fox and CBS both have a doubleheader this Sunday.)
What is wrong with everyone getting a chance to see their team on national tv, even if the record isn’t that good?
Fox focuses on brand names. NFC East = brand name. Las Vegas Raiders = (faded) brand name.
CBS doesn’t force brand names where they’re not wanted.
You’re speaking strictly for yourself when you say they’re not wanted. The Eagles have a huge fan base, and the Raiders rank just outside of the top ten for social media following. Those fans aren’t all in Nevada and Pennsylvania. So, again, what is wrong with showing them on National TV for one week as part of a doubleheader?
I don’t think that Chucky has much against the Raiders as he does against the NFC East.
Chucky hates the Giants specifically.
Ever follow the 506sports maps? Fox goes overboard on NFC East when more compelling match-ups are available.
And those who brag about the Raiders’ fanbase won’t acknowledge that they’re not desired in Los Angeles any more.
I get lost in the hospital if they don’t have those colored coded footprints on the floor and now I’m suppose to follow some sports map thingy? Forget it!
They are the people who are paying for the license to broadcast and production. They should largely get to pick teams with larger interest because they are trying to make their money back via advertising.
Super Bowl champion Kenny Pickett.
Marino sits at home with empty fingers.
Yeah, what a loser, that guy. Not even as good as Dilfer
I heard that Jeff Garcia was available
‘…. for a franchise that has failed to find stability this decade….’ More like this for the century. Sure, they went to 1 SB and got walloped by their former coach, but they have been awful since the 1990’s realistically.
They were still mediocre and hanging in there in the 90s. imo, they really tailspun into irrelevancy right when they traded Gruden. They went to the Super Bowl the year after trading Gruden because they had Gruden’s players and schemes (part of why Gruden trounced them in the Super Bowl, they didn’t change enough stuff). In the 23 subsequent seasons, they have two winning seasons, two Wild Card playoff appearances, zero division titles, and zero playoff wins.
If you look at their franchise as a whole, trading Gruden to the Bucs might be the dumbest move in franchise history.
I’m not arguing against a single point you made, rct. As someone who’s followed the Raiders for years, though, there is some fierce competition for the dubious distinction of “dumbest move” in Raiders franchise history.
bet the colts wish pickett would be available to wear the horseshoe this weekend
Super Bowl winning QBs clash!!
Any plans to investigate last weeks final :06 seconds, or look the other way and pretend nothing happened?
You must have had Denver -7.5 and the under.
After Geno’s bird to the fans, he’s done in Vegas. Reportedly, he wants out, anyway; and I don’t think anyone is going to be sad to see him go.
We certainly weren’t in Seattle.
If a player plays QB, this is probably last team you ever want to play for and some might wish to go back to college, if given the job as their starter. LOL
Mendoza is lining up perfectly for the Raiders to pick…just keep losing and pray the Giants win one more game….
The NYG face LV in a game with a record-setting number of injuries.
And that’s just counting the fans…
the Raiders still profile as a team interested in a first-round addition here.
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Need a QB. Glad you cleared that up.
Don’t worry giants not going Qb. They got the Dart
No matter who is the quarterback behind this offensive line will be cooked.
The last time a Raiders quarterback named Kenny took over for an ineffective starter it worked out pretty well. RIP Snake.