The Las Vegas Raiders’ no good, very bad season just got much worse.
Quarterback Gardner Minshew left Sunday’s, 29-19, loss to the Denver Broncos with a serious injury, confirmed to be a season-ending broken collarbone after the game.
Minshew started the season under center for Las Vegas before being benched for backup Aidan O’Connell in Week 6.
O’Connell then suffered a fractured thumb early in Week 7, with Minshew being called back into duty mid-game. But the sixth-year veteran was benched once again in Week 10, this time for backup Desmond Ridder, in the midst of a, 41-24, blowout loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
Minshew returned under center in Week 11 as the named starter and kept the job until his unfortunate injury during the team’s Week 12 loss Sunday.
With Las Vegas now down two quarterbacks, head coach Antonio Pierce may approach general manager Tom Telesco to find a new passer instead of reverting to Ridder.
Well, one starting-caliber quarterback will be entering the market on Monday and could be the perfect fit.
Daniel Jones, waived by the New York Giants over the weekend, has been connected to multiple teams (h/t Ian Rapoport) including Las Vegas.
Jones has made it known he wants to play for a contender and Rapoport notes San Francisco and Baltimore are among the other teams interested.
But Las Vegas would offer the 27-year old an opportunity to audition for the full-time starting role in a franchise that would’ve likely been spending a first-round pick on a rookie passer in April anyways.
Jones could end up being a cost-effective free agent addition that provides Las Vegas with flexibility to add a weapon or skill position boost with its likely high first-round selection.
Pierce is also a former Giant and could find that as a bonding moment with his potential new signal caller. If things don’t work out and Pierce forced from the hot seat, then Jones will still have the chance to find a new home in traditional free agency.
It feels like a win-win for both parties but whether an actual agreement materializes in the coming days is left to be seen.