Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell joined teammate Gardner Minshew among the ranks of the injured on Sunday, December 8, after damaging his knee against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The precise nature of the injury wasn't immediately available, though O'Connell left the field on a cart before the team ruled him out for the remainder of the game.
"The Raiders quickly ruled out O'Connell, who also left the field with an air cast to support his injured knee," NFL Network reported. "O'Connell went down after he was hit following a scrambling completion to Jakobi Meyers."
O'Connell missed several weeks earlier this season with a broken thumb, while Minshew is out for the remainder of the year with a broken collarbone.
It was clear before the rash of injuries that the Raiders needed to go quarterback hunting this offseason, but it's never been more obvious with Desmond Ridder under center as Las Vegas lost yet again to fall to 2-11.
The Raiders will pick at, or very near, the top of the NFL draft next April and a player like Shedeur Sanders from Colorado makes a ton of sense.
QBs used to sit for two or three seasons upon entering the league. That changed some years ago and many are now thrown into the fire immediately during their rookie campaigns. However, the happy middle involves bringing in a veteran to start for a season or so, while the rookie signal caller learns the offense and the game at the next level.
The Atlanta Falcons chose to go that route by signing Kirk Cousins to a $180 million deal just before drafting Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 overall pick. Atlanta isn't likely to need Cousins for another season, as Penix is poised to potentially take over even before this year is out.
Las Vegas probably wouldn't need to send the Falcons much in the way of a return package given the amount of money the Raiders would take on for next season in any deal for Cousins. Most of the guarantees on his contract will be up following 2025.
It isn't a perfect solution to the Raiders' woes, but Cousins can offer the team a better arm and track record than either O'Connell or Minshew, as well as a mentor and placeholder for a rookie QB like Sanders.
The acquisition of Cousins would also give Las Vegas fans something to root for rather than 2025 being just another lost season -- about nothing more than developing a quarterback the team hopes will be the future of the franchise.
