Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce said at his press conference that quarterback Gardner Minshew’s shoulder injury “doesn’t look good” and it appears that it will bring an end to Minshew’s season.
NFL Media reports that Minshew broke his collarbone and several other reporters have since confirmed that report. A season-ending move to injured reserve will be next for Minshew.
Aidan O’Connell’s return for the Black Friday game against the Chiefs may also be on tap for the Raiders. O’Connell can be activated this week and multiple reports indicate that he is expected to return to action.
The Raiders could also opt to make a waiver claim for Daniel Jones or try to sign him if he clears waivers, but, for now, O’Connell and Desmond Ridder are the quarterback options in Las Vegas.
Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew had to exit Sunday’s loss to the Broncos late in the second half and it could be significant time before he’s available again.
Via Tashan Reed of TheAthletic.com, head coach Antonio Pierce said after the game that Minshew’s shoulder injury “doesn’t look good.” Minshew then had his left arm in a sling in the locker room.
Minshew exited the contest late in the second half after going down hard on his left shoulder. Desmond Ridder came in to replace him for the rest of the contest.
Minshew was 25-of-42 passing for 230 yards with a touchdown and an interception on Sunday. Ridder finished 5-of-10 for 64 yards.
While Las Vegas also has Aidan O’Connell, he’s on injured reserve after suffering a thumb injury.
The Raiders will have to figure out their QB position in short order, as they’re playing the Chiefs on Black Friday in Week 13.
The Broncos are playoff contenders, and quarterback Bo Nix is a rookie of the year candidate.
If there was any doubt of that before today, that doubt was erased when the Broncos went to Las Vegas and took care of business against the Raiders, winning 29-19 with Nix leading the way.
The Broncos are now 7-5, and although it’s unlikely they could catch the Chiefs in the AFC West, they have a great chance of earning a wild card berth. That’s something few expected with a rookie quarterback in Nix and a coach in Sean Payton who was just beginning what looked like it could be a long rebuilding effort. But Nix is playing superb football, and Courtland Sutton has proven himself a top-notch No. 1 receiver. The Broncos are in great shape.
The Raiders aren’t in shape to contend for anything other than the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft. Although wide receiver Jakobi Meyers was a bright spot today, and defensive end Maxx Crosby played relentlessly as he always does, the Raiders look like one of the least talented teams in the NFL. Quarterback Gardner Minshew was knocked out of the game late in the fourth quarter and replaced by Desmond Ridder, who promptly lost a fumble.
The loss drops the Raiders to 2-9 and raises major questions about their future, including whether Antonio Pierce is the right coach to get the Raiders back on track.
But the Broncos are definitely on track. This is the best team they’ve had in Denver in years.
Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew exited today’s game against the Broncos with an apparent left shoulder injury.
Minshew was sacked and went down hard on his non-throwing shoulder and was replaced with backup Desmond Ridder.
The Broncos led 26-19 with 2:50 left in the fourth quarter at the time Minshew exited, so Ridder was going to need to lead a miraculous comeback, and that didn’t happen. Ridder was strip-sacked on his second play for what will likely be a game-sealing turnover.
It’s been an ugly season in Las Vegas, and it’s only getting uglier.
The Raiders are playing today without their special teams coordinator, but that didn’t stop them from a game-changing call on special teams.
Before the game, the Raiders announced that special teams coordinator Tom McMahon will not be coaching today against the Broncos. The team did not offer an explanation. Assistant special teams coach Derius Swinton took over McMahon’s responsibilities.
Swinton made the most of his opportunity with a gutsy play call on a fourth down, with punter A.J. Cole throwing the ball to Divine Deablo for a 34-yard gain.
The Raiders lead the Broncos 10-9 just before halftime.
Raiders owner and Fox broadcaster Tom Brady has yet another gig — closer for his alma mater.
Via Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports, Brady had a direct role in helping Michigan secure quarterback Bryce Underwood. While a reported commitment of $12 million might have helped, Brady got involved.
“A FaceTime conversation between Brady and Underwood a few weeks ago marked the beginning of their relationship, which grew over multiple conversations,” Zenitz reports.
That’s fine, in isolation. But now that Brady has a vested interested in boosting the Raiders, he’ll need to tread lightly in his work as a Michigan booster.
From the NFL’s tampering policy, as it relates to college players: “No club, nor any person employed by or otherwise affiliated with a club or the League (including a player), is permitted to tamper with college players who are ineligible for selection or participation in the League. Direct or indirect attempts to induce underclassmen to petition the League for special eligibility or to declare to the League their desire to enter the League under the early-graduation rule are prohibited. Club personnel who make public comments about the football ability or NFL potential of underclassmen who have not yet been officially declared eligible for the draft will be subject to discipline by the Commissioner.”
In his role as a supporter of the Michigan program, Brady’s motivation would be to advice Underwood to stay put. But if the Raiders need a quarterback and would be in position to draft Underwood, Brady would be prohibited for directly or indirectly trying to persuade Underwood to go to the NFL early.
As written, the rule doesn’t prohibit other things that Brady could do to help the Raiders while also ostensibly helping Underwood. If, for example, Underwood is thinking about leaving Michigan (and possibly being drafted by a team with which the Raiders regularly compete), Brady would be permitted to persuade Underwood to stay in school. Likewise, Brady would be permitted to try to persuade Underwood to refuse to play for certain teams.
Still, there has to be a limit to what Brady can do for Underwood, if the friendship grows and Brady becomes an unofficial adviser. Ultimately, the league might need to come up with a set of rules aimed at keeping Brady from using situations like this to the benefit of the Raiders.
The league has already done that regarding Brady’s job as a broadcaster. Given his name and reputation and accomplishments, the league might need to consider ways to ensure that Brady won’t try to put his thumb on the scale for the Raiders under the guise of mentoring young players at Michigan or elsewhere.
Raiders running backs Zamir White and Alexander Mattison both are banged up this week.
White (quad) and Mattison (ankle) will have doubtful designations, coach Antonio Pierce said Friday.
Mattison and White have combined for 162 carries for 503 yards and four touchdowns.
Pierce said Ameer Abdullah will lead the backfield. Dylan Laube will back up Abdullah, who has 17 carries for 82 yards and a touchdown this season.
Cornerbacks Jakorian Bennett (shoulder) and Nate Hobbs (ankle) will not play.
The Raiders’ other starting cornerback, Jack Jones (back), will practice today, Pierce said.
Darnay Holmes, Decamerion Richardson and Sam Webb are the other corners on the 53.
Center Andre James (ankle) also will practice today, but Jackson Powers-Johnson will start Sunday’s game at the position.
No one is talking much about the Raiders, which means rookie tight end Brock Bowers has flown under the radar. (Except for fantasy owners who have him on their roster.)
Bowers also doesn’t hype himself, and his stoic demeanor prompted Davante Adams to nickname Bowers the “Business Man.”
Bowers’ numbers, though, are speaking loudly for him.
His 70 catches are second in the NFL and his 706 yards are 10th. His three touchdowns are tied for fifth among all tight ends. It puts Bowers on pace to break the single-season rookie record for catches regardless of position, and he could set the rookie mark for receiving yards by a tight end.
Lions tight end Sam LaPorta has the rookie record for catches at the position with 86 last season, and Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua set the overall rookie record for receptions with 105 last season. Bears tight end Mike Ditka set the rookie record for receiving yards at the position with 1,076 in 1961, and Nacua has the record for most receiving yards by a rookie regardless of position at 1,486.
Nacua finished second to Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud in offensive rookie of the year voting last season, and LaPorta was third.
Ditka is the only tight end to win offensive rookie of the year.
“At the end of the season, you get to relax and reflect a little bit,” Bowers said of appreciating his accomplishments, via Tashan Reed of TheAthletic.com, “but we’re not there yet.”
In betting odds, Bowers is fourth at +3000 behind Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels (-400), Denver quarterback Bo Nix (+300) and New England quarterback Drake Maye (+2500).
“He’s really good,” quarterback Gardner Minshew said. “I don’t know if anyone’s said that yet. There’s not much he can’t do, man. I’m super glad we have him, and super excited for everything he’s going to be in his career.”
Bowers said the game is slowing down for him, and that’s the way it appeared Sunday when he had 13 catches (the most ever in a game for a rookie tight end) for a career-high 126 yards and a touchdown.
“There’s always another week coming,” Bowers said. “I’ve always got something to prove.”
On the heels of selling a piece of the team to Tom Brady and Richard Seymour, Raiders owner Mark Davis is shaving off even more of the equity in the franchise.
Fifteen percent more, in all.
Ben Fischer of Sports Business Journal reports that Silver Lake co-CEO and Endeavor board chairman Egon Durban has a deal in place to buy 7.5 percent of the Raiders.
Under league rules, the move would require Endeavor to divest itself of the WME Sports’ football representation business.
Said WME Sports co-head Josh Pyatt in a statement to Fischer: “WME Sports’ football group continues to operate business as usual, and we are prepared for various scenarios as it relates to our football representation business, which is thriving, Our priority remains creating growth and opportunity for our clients and partners.”
The WME Sports football division is led by agents Brian Ayrault, Ben Renzin, and Joel Segal. The group represents 78 NFL players, including Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson, and 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa. WME Sports represents four first-round picks in the 2024 draft, tied for second among all agencies.
Davis is selling another 7.5 percent to luxury golf resort developer and operator Michael Meldman and his family.
The total sale of 15 percent of the team comes from shares held by Davis and by the Boscacci and Lovingfoss families. They are the descendants of two of the original Raiders investors, Eugene and Arnold Boscacci.
The terms haven’t been reported. Per Fischer, Durban and Meldman will be paying a “much higher price” than the sweetheart deal Brady received — $220 million for 10 percent and $24 million of the “flip tax” tracing to the relocation of the team from Oakland to Las Vegas.
As the Raiders begin their week of preparation for the Broncos, they won’t have a few key players on the field.
Head coach Antonio Pierce said in his press conference that running back Alexander Mattison, running back Zamir White, and cornerback Jack Jones won’t practice on Wednesday.
“Next-man-up mentality — get some of these younger guys some reps, see how they do, and hopefully we get these guys back by the end of the week,” Pierce said.
With the running backs, Mattison has an ankle injury and White has a quad injury. If they’re unable to play, veteran Ameer Abdullah would step into the role of top back this week. Pierce said he’s plenty comfortable with that.
“Well especially in a game like this, because if you remember, the last time we played Denver, Ameer had a really good game — had some big plays for us, some great opportunities in the passing game, in the running game, obviously special teams,” Pierce said. “But if he happens to be the lead back this week, you feel really comfortable about him. He’s an explosive player, he’s a vet. He knows the system — very savvy. He’s making sure everybody’s comfortable, especially up front in protection — keyed in on that.”
Abdullah has been on the field for 25 percent of the offensive snaps in the eight games he’s played this season. He’s rushed for 82 yards on 17 carries with a touchdown and caught 17 passes for 76 yards with a TD in 2024.
In Las Vegas’ Week 5 loss to Denver, Abdullah rushed for 42 yards on five carries with a touchdown, caught three passes for 9 yards, and returned a kick for 23 yards.
The Raiders’ full Wednesday injury report will be released later.
