The trade deadline may have passed on Tuesday afternoon, but that didn’t stop the Las Vegas Raiders from making a major change. Late that night, and early Wednesday morning for some, the Raiders fired head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Zeigler.
Those are huge moves that will change the landscape of the franchise. Both were hired in January of 2022 away from the New England Patriots, inheriting a 10-7 team that went through many obstacles in the 2021 season to earn a playoff berth. All of the positive momentum that occurred in 2021 was quickly undone by McDaniels and Zeigler.
With those two out the door, former NFL linebacker and Raiders’ linebackers coach Antonio Pierce is taking over as interim head coach. The interim general manager spot will be filled by Champ Kelly.
This is a great opportunity for both of them to showcase what they can do in more prominent roles. It didn’t take long for them to make changes, as Pierce is already adjusting the lineup.
According to Vinny Bonsignore of Vegas Nation, covering the Raiders for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, veteran Jimmy Garoppolo is heading to the bench. Rumors are swirling that the team is leaning toward starting rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell against the New York Giants on Sunday afternoon.
That is a huge change for the Raiders as O’Connell was operating as the third-stringer the last few weeks. Not only could he replace Garppolo as the starter, but he hopped veteran Brian Hoyer, who started in Week 7 when Garoppolo was injured.
At 3-5 and with a slim chance of making a playoff run, it makes sense to see what the rookie has got in an extended look. Las Vegas is going nowhere fast this season and the remainder of the 2023 campaign should be about evaluating the roster and seeing who is worth keeping as a long-term piece of the core.
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