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Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell is out 6-8 weeks after fracturing his wrist in Saturday's preseason loss against the Arizona Cardinals. The timeframe, according to Ian Rapoport, means O'Connell will not be available for at least the team's first quarter of the regular season. That could force the Raiders' hands in finding a temporary replacement, unless the Raiders are comfortable moving forward with rookie Cam Miller as Geno Smith's backup.

"He fractured his wrist — he's hurt and it's going to be a while," Raiders coach Pete Carroll said after the game. "That's a big blow for us."

O'Connell left Saturday's contest in the first half after two possessions, suffering a sack and lost fumble on his team's first drive. O'Connell finished 3-of-4 passing for 36 yards. He played in nine games last season, completing 63.4% of his passes for 1,612 yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions. Miller, a sixth-round pick out of North Dakota State, received the blessing of Raiders minority owner Tom Brady earlier this summer.

Despite owning just 5% of the franchise, Brady was "in constant communication" with front office personnel and the pre-draft process and was supportive of the move to take Miller.

"He liked the way he threw it, his technique, throwing from the ground up and his motion," Raiders GM John Spytek told The Athletic. "And he thought he had the potential to improve."

Miller won two FCS national championships during his time with the Bison, going 45-11 as the starter. He shattered program records for total offensive yards (11,998), pass completion percentage (.694), passing completions (759) and yards (9,721), 

Miller took a significant step back in his second preseason outing last week after a notable debut before playing most of Saturday's game against Arizona. Miller went 12-of-24 for 104 yards and was sacked four times.

The Raiders traded for Smith, their 2025 starter, this offseason and signed him to a two-year, $75 million extension that is worth up to $85.5 million and includes $66.5 million guaranteed. With O'Connell's wrist needing time to heal, Las Vegas may look for a veteran, free agent option in relief unless it feels comfortable with an unproven rookie behind him.