Who Should I Start? Gardner Minshew or Desmond Ridder

Thursday, November 28, 1:02 PM

The Las Vegas Raiders have placed quarterback Gardner Minshew II (collarbone) on injured reserve. Given that Minshew has already been ruled out for the remainder of the 2024 season, this is merely a procedural move. He finishes his age-28 campaign having completed 203 of 306 passes for 2,013 yards, nine touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He also took 29 sacks and lost four fumbles. It's been a sloppy year under center for the Raiders, who have given snaps to Minshew, Aidan O'Connell, and Desmond Ridder. Moving forward, Vegas intends to start O'Connell, whom they activated from injured reserve on Thursday. However, he's expected to be on a short leash with Ridder waiting in the wing.

Tuesday, December 17, 1:13 AM

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Desmond Ridder attempted 39 passes and completed 23 throws for 208 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. Unsurprisingly, he didn't throw his first TD pass until the game was nearly out of reach -- it happened with under three minutes left in the fourth quarter. He attempted to lead a futile comeback, but it was too little, too late. His second interception was on a Hail Mary attempt that failed, but he was mostly ineffective against one of the league's worst pass defenses. He'll likely not start next week anyway. Starting QB Aidan O'Connell (knee) is expected to make his return in Week 16, and Ridder will be sent back to the bench.