The Las Vegas Raiders are playing for pride down the stretch after being eliminated from playoff contention.
That means more playing time for rookies and more chances for backups to earn a starting job the rest of the season and beyond.
The rookies have been stepping up recently and backup quarterback Kenny Pickett will start against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 15. Though Geno Smith hasn’t been practicing due to right shoulder and back injuries, Pickett was moving the ball when he relived Smith last week and probably would have earned the start anyway.
Several rookies have been taking advantage of extra playing time. Receiver Jack Bech led the team in receiving last week with six receptions for 50 yards, right guard Caleb Rogers has impressed the last couple of weeks and cornerback Darien Porter has filled in for cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly and made a huge impact against the Denver Broncos.
Porter received lots of praise from head coach Pete Carroll following Porter’s big game against Denver.
“Rookie Darien Porter showcased his potential to be a starting cornerback,” ESPN’s Ryan McFadden wrote Friday. “Against Denver, Porter gave up four catches for 39 yards and recorded two pass breakups on seven targets. Porter will have another test against WRs A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. And with Kyu Blu Kelly out for the rest of the season because of a knee injury, Porter will handle the bulk of the work. ‘He's really clean technique-wise; he's a real product of our system,’ coach Pete Carroll said.”
In what was essentially a tryout to see how Porter could handle himself against a formidable opponent, Porter stepped up to the plate and hit a home run.
All of the rookies showing promise is huge for the Raiders organization moving forward. The team should continue letting the rookies play and see who can play big snaps for the team in 2026 and beyond.
Las Vegas has a tough road matchup in Week 15 against the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles Sunday. With Pickett starting against his old team, this will be a “revenge game” for the 2022 first-rounder. Pickett was efficient against the Broncos, completing eight of 11 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown as well as six rushing yards on one carry.
Expect Pickett to play with some extra fire as he looks to keep the starting job and build on a nice performance.