The Las Vegas Raiders have been, arguably, the worst team in the league during the 2025 NFL season, as their seven-game losing streak has them sitting at 2-11 entering the final stretch of the year. That mark is tied with the Tennessee Titans and New York Giants for the worst in the NFL.
However, unlike those two teams, the Raiders do not have their quarterback of the future on the roster. Whereas both of those franchises selected quarterbacks in the first round of last year's draft, Las Veags has had 35-year-old Geno Smith start every game in 2025.
His performance -- 67.0 completion percentage, 2,648 passing yards, 16 touchdowns, 14 interceptions, and 49 sacks taken, the latter two of which are tied for the league lead -- has made it clear that he should not be a part of Las Vegas' future.
The fan base has spent the past several weeks calling for either Kenny Pickett or Aidan O'Connell to get the opportunity to start under center for the remainder of the year, as both are eight years younger than Smith.
Kenny Pickett has a massive opportunity in Week 15 vs. Eagles
Well, Pickett appears to be in line to get his first start as a Raider in Week 15, as Smith isunlikely to return from a shoulder injury that he suffered last weekend. Pickett, a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, will have a massive opportunity this Sunday, as he faces his former team on the road.
During the 2022 draft, Pickett was the first quarterback off the board, and the only one selected in the first round. The Pittsburgh Steelers selected him 20th overall, but they gave up on his development after just 24 starts.
Granted, at least statistically, this sample size wasn't very impressive, as he threw for 4,474 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions while completing 62.6% of his passes. Ahead of the 2024 season, he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, where he backed up Jalen Hurts.
Of course, that means that Pickett has a Super Bowl ring now on his résumé, and he played well in limited chances there. He will now face his former team with the opportunity to prove them wrong, as well as make a statement ahead of unrestricted free agency this offseason.
While it may be in the Raiders' best interest to lose out in an attempt to secure the top overall pick in next year's draft, that is certainly not the case for Pickett. He is still young enough to prove that he is worthy of a starting job, as several former first-round picks have proven to be late bloomers.
RELATED: Raiders could ditch Pete Carroll for this NFL Coach of the Year if he's fired
He will have a tough task ahead of him, however, against an Eagles team that ranks ninth in the league in scoring defense. Their secondary is strong as well, and the Raiders don't have the best infrastructure around him. However, as Pickett noted, he does have familiarity with the group.
"I have a little familiarity with what they do. I know they got great coaches, great players. Nothing but respect for all those guys over there," Pickett said. "It's a great (opportunity). All you can ask for is an opportunity. It's a great opportunity. Philly is an unbelievable place to play. I know the fans will be ready to go. They have a hell of a team. There's not a ton of new faces on that team, so there's a lot of really good players. I know the coaching staff and how prepared that they're going to be for the game so it's a great opportunity."
Pickett is from Ocean Township, New Jersey, a town about 90 minutes away from Philadelphia, and played for the Pittsburgh Panthers in college before also spending the first three years of his NFL career in Pennsylvania.
With a potential snow game on the horizon, Pickett also noted that his experience playing in the cold should help him on Sunday, when the weather is expected to be 28 degrees with 13 mile per hour winds at kickoff.
While Pete Carroll has already committed to Smith reclaiming the starting role when he is healthy, a strong performance by Pickett could pressure the Raiders' head coach to let him start the last few games of the season.
If Pickett can continue to play well down the stretch, he may land himself a starting job in 2026, or, at the very least, the opportunity to compete for one. Beating the Eagles, or at least having a nice showing, would also be a bit of sweet revenge.