Raiders News: Pete Carroll Preparing For Kenny Pickett To Start At QB Vs. Eagles

With Geno Smith having to leave the Las Vegas Raiders’ Week 14 loss to the Denver Broncos in the third quarter due to a shoulder injury, backup Kenny Pickett took over to close the game. And Pickett attributed himself pretty well, completing 8-of-11 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown.

The extent of Smith’s shoulder injury remains unknown, but the quarterback hasn’t practiced yet this week. With Smith struggling throughout the season, many were already calling for Pickett to get a shot as the starter even before Smith went down, but now it seems like his opportunity is arriving.

Head coach Pete Carroll recently sat down on 1-on-1 with JT The Brick for Raiders YouTube and gave an update on the Raiders’ quarterback situation heading into Week 15, saying that Pickett will be getting the practice reps during the week and expressing belief in him at the position:

“I was really thrilled for [Pickett] to get a chance to play. He looked terrific in practice; he runs well, moves well, and throws the ball effectively on the move, which he showed in the game—scrambling for a first down, I believe. He might have missed his first three passes, but then hit seven or eight in a row; he came on really strong and finished on a good note.

“Now we have to see how Geno is—how banged up he is. He’s taken a lot of hits and has a few different things he’s working on to get back. We’ll see how that goes. Kenny will take over [on December 10] in practice and get going, and we’ll surely go slow with Geno as we bring him back.”

Pickett is still pretty young at only 27 years old and in just his fourth NFL season. In fact, his career path is somewhat similar to that of Smith, as Pickett didn’t have a great start to his career, but now finds himself with an opportunity to redeem himself under Carroll, albeit in Las Vegas, as opposed to Smith doing so in Seattle.

Whatever the case may be, the Raiders sorely need better quarterback play, and Pickett brings some things to the table that Smith doesn’t. It won’t be easy taking on a Philadelphia Eagles team desperate for a victory, but Pickett has the chance to prove he can be a starting quarterback in the NFL and exact a little revenge on his former team.

Could Raiders target a QB in 2026 NFL Draft?

The Raiders are still searching for their true franchise quarterback in order to take the next steps as an organization and return to playoff contention in the coming seasons. As such, there are many who believe the Raiders could be looking at a QB at the top of the 2026 NFL Draft.