The Raiders aren’t limiting their drastic, mid-season changes to the head coach and GM. The team also will move on with rookie Aidan O’Connell at quarterback rather than Jimmy Garoppolo.
This quarterback news is according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The Raiders had signed Garoppolo in the offseason after parting ways with Derek Carr at the end of last season.
But it seems that owner Mark Davis wants to clean house. He fired head coach Josh McDaniels, general manager Dave Ziegler and offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi. And there will be a change at quarterback with interim coach Antonio Pierce, a one-time NFL linebacker, and new OC Bo Hardegree, who had been the Raiders quarterbacks coach.
So why make the change at quarterback, going from veteran to rookie? It’s not like it could get worse. The Raiders could be the worst offense in the NFL. Through eight games, the Raiders offense ranked 31st in the league in total offense and was last in rushing yards and 30th in scoring.
The Raiders selected O’Connell in the fourth round of April’s draft. O’Connell is the former Purdue standout, who evolved from preferred walk-on to All Big Ten. He’s already started one game for the Raiders, filling in for an injured Garoppolo, Oct. 1. Garoppolo also couldn’t play against the Bears, Oct. 22, because of a back injury. But rather than O’Connell, McDaniels went with Brian Hoyer as the starting QB. Hoyer threw two interceptions with only 129 passing yards and the Raiders lost to a team led by an undrafted rookie quarterback.
Garoppolo also had a bad evening during the Raiders 26-14 loss to the Lions on Monday Night Football. That game, in general, seemed to trigger all the changes Davis made. The news was announced at 11 p.m. Tuesday, Vegas time.
Both receiver Davante Adams and running back Josh Jacobs, the Raiders two best offensive players, had pushed for changes. Now, they have them. McDaniels also had been icing out Hunter Renfrow, the former Clemson star who was a 1,000-yard receiver two years ago.
The NFL is big on rookie quarterbacks this year. First-year quarterbacks have started for the Panthers, Texans, Colts, Bears and Titans. Rookies also will start this Sunday for the Cardinals, Vikings and possibly the Giants.
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