Gardner Minshew has exceeded expectations for the Las Vegas Raiders through two games, ranking fourth in the NFL with 533 passing yards and leading all qualifying quarterbacks with a league-best 77.5% completion rate.
Despite his strong start, Minshew has yet to prove he can lead a team to the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Steelers added two starting-caliber quarterbacks this offseason by trading for Justin Fields and signing Russell Wilson.
Wilson was expected to start Week 1, but an injury allowed Fields to take over. ESPN’s Dan Graziano suggests that Wilson could draw trade interest if he doesn’t regain the starting role.
“Wilson has a no-trade clause, meaning he would have the choice of where to go (or be released) in such a scenario,” Graziano wrote in a September 20 column. “It’s been years since he has shown something that would make a team trade for him, but a desperate team could make a move.”
Graziano pointed to the Raiders as a possible destination: “If a contender, like the Raiders, suffers an unexpected injury to their starter in October, they might explore the possibility of acquiring Wilson.”
Is Russell Wilson an Upgrade Over What Raiders Have?
Fortunately for the Raiders, even if Gardner Minshew were to get injured, they have a capable backup in Aidan O’Connell. Meanwhile, Russell Wilson has been in a rapid decline since 2021. While he had a winning record as a starter during the first nine years of his career, his performance over the past three seasons has fallen below .500.
On paper, Wilson’s 2023 season appeared solid, with 26 touchdowns and just eight interceptions. However, there’s a reason the Denver Broncos ultimately benched and released him. His 50.7 QBR was the second-lowest of his career, signaling a significant decline.
Given his current trajectory, Wilson likely wouldn’t be much of an upgrade over the Raiders’ existing options. In fact, O’Connell is probably a more effective player for Las Vegas right now. If Minshew and O’Connell can’t deliver wins, it’s doubtful Wilson could either. The Raiders would be better served sticking with their current quarterbacks and addressing any long-term needs in the offseason.
Raiders Need to Improve Running Game
The Raiders’ quarterback situation may be irrelevant if they can’t fix their struggling running game. Through two games, the team has averaged just 49.0 rushing yards per game, the worst in the NFL, and their 2.5 yards per carry is also the league’s lowest.
Head coach Antonio Pierce, who aims for a strong running offense, acknowledges that the ground game has been a major issue this season. He attributes much of the problem to the offensive line’s struggles.
“It’s got to start up front,” Pierce said during his September 18 media availability. “There has to be an intent and a play style that we talked about, practiced, and preached since day one. It’s not showing up on game day, so obviously if there’s lineup changes that need to be made or scheme changes, everything’s on the table.”
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