The Las Vegas Raiders entered the 2025 season with Geno Smith firmly entrenched in the starting quarterback role after sending the Seattle Seahawks a third-round pick to acquire him and giving him a contract extension. It appeared as if Aidan O'Connell would serve as his backup for much of the preseason, with sixth-round rookie Cam Miller slotted in as the emergency quarterback.
Those plans changed in the preseason finale, however, as O'Connell suffered a fractured wrist and was placed on injured reserve with the expectation that he would miss 6-8 weeks. The Raiders responded by acquiring Kenny Pickett for a fifth-round pick.