Sources – Raiders rookie QB Aidan O’Connell will start against the Chargers

With Jimmy Garoppolo ruled out with a concussion and not making the trip to Los Angeles, the Raiders have decided to start rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell against the Chargers on Sunday, league sources told ESPN.

The Raiders are selecting O’Connell, a fourth-round pick, over veteran Brian Hoyer, who last won in October 2016. Both quarterbacks received reps during practice last week while Garoppolo was in the concussion protocol, but O’Connell received the majority — the Not all of the actors were in rehearsal by the end of the week, according to sources.

O’Connell will make his first NFL start and attempt the first passes of his professional career against AFC West teams at SoFi Stadium against a Chargers defense that enters Sunday giving up an average of over 450 yards per game over its first three games. From this chapter.

O’Connell was one of the standout players in the preseason this summer, drawing comparisons from some scouts and NFL executives to Brock Purdy, another late-round pick who earned a chance to start last season for the San Francisco 49ers.

In three preseason games in August, O’Connell completed 43 of 62 passes (69.4%) for 482 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. It left some Raiders fans wondering why he wasn’t the backup quarterback for the season opener, when Las Vegas listed Hoyer as their No. 2 quarterback.

O’Connell also shined during his college career at Purdue, passing for 9,219 yards and 65 touchdowns.

“I think the preseason was valuable to me at that time, just to go out and play and get it under my belt,” O’Connell told ESPN on Friday. “But I think at this point it’s gone too far, and there’s different teams and different tactics and different game plans for us. So I’m glad it happened, but it’s time to move on, I think, and see what happens.”

The Raiders signed Garoppolo to a three-year, $72.75 million free agent contract this offseason to replace nine-year starter Derek Carr, even as Garoppolo needed surgery on his left foot after reconciling with Las Vegas.

Garoppolo, who suffered a concussion in last Sunday night’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, has missed at least 16 regular-season and playoff games due to the injury since 2020.