Who Should I Start? Geno Smith or Gardner Minshew

Wednesday, December 31, 3:41 PM

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll said that quarterback Geno Smith (ankle) will not play on Sunday against the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs in the Week 18 regular-season finale, according to Ryan McFadden of ESPN. "I hate closing the door on any opportunity, but it's going to be really hard for him," Carroll said. Smith suffered a serious ankle injury in the Week 17 loss to the New York Giants and won't suit up for a meaningless contest to close out the regular season. With the 35-year-old veteran wrapping up a brutal first year in the desert, backup Kenny Pickett is expected to start this weekend. Aidan O'Connell could also end up splitting time with Pickett against KC. Smith was one of the worst starting QBs in football in 2025, completing 67.4% of his 448 pass attempts for 3,205 yards, 19 touchdowns, and a league-leading 17 interceptions in 15 starts.

Tuesday, December 23, 9:38 AM

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Gardner Minshew (knee) got good news from an MRI on his injured knee, as his ACL was not torn as initially feared. He's still out for the rest of the season on IR, but his recovery will be quicker since it's a "non-displaced tibial plateau fracture," which is basically a severe bone bruise but does not require surgery. The seventh-year QB was on a one-year deal with the Chiefs, but only played two games this season. He'll be a free agent this offseason, and the fact that he won't have to recover from a torn ACL will make him one of the better backup options on the market. He could return to Kansas City or land with a new team, but wherever he ends up, the fact that he doesn't have a torn ACL should improve his chances of being ready for offseason activities and the start of next season.