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          Raiders expected to release Gardner Minshew, source confirms

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          Pat Surtain II scores a 100-yard pick-six off Gardnew Minshew (0:39)

          Gardner Minshew floats a ball into the end zone and Pat Surtain II takes it 100 yards the other way for a touchdown. (0:39)

          • Ryan McFaddenMar 5, 2025, 11:23 AM ET
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              Ryan McFadden covers the Las Vegas Raiders for ESPN's NFL Nation. Prior to ESPN, McFadden was a Denver Broncos beat reporter for the Denver Post. McFadden also wrote about the Baltimore Ravens and University of Maryland athletics for The Baltimore Sun.
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          The Las Vegas Raiders are expected to release quarterback Gardner Minshew when free agency begins next week, a source confirmed to ESPN.

          Minshew, 28, signed a two-year, $25 million free agent contract last offseason with $15 million guaranteed. He has a cap hit of $14 million in 2025, and $3.16 million of guaranteed money left on his deal. The Raiders could save $9.3 million by making him a post-June 1 cut.

          Minshew was in a tight quarterback competition with Aidan O'Connell during training camp last year before ultimately winning the starting job.

          But Minshew struggled in the starting role, passing for 2,013 yards, nine touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 10 games -- nine starts -- before suffering a season-ending broken collarbone against the Broncos in November. The Raiders went 2-7 last season in the nine games Minshew started.

          NFL Network first reported Wednesday on the Raiders' plan to release Minshew.

          The Raiders addressed their need for more depth at offensive line later Wednesday, signing former Cincinnati Bengals guard Alex Cappa to a two-year, $11.2 million deal that includes $5.5 million fully guaranteed at signing.

          Cappa spent three seasons in Cincinnati before being released Monday. He brings experience up front, starting in 96 career games during his time in Cincinnati and Tampa Bay, where he played four seasons.

          With Minshew out of the picture, the Raiders' quarterback room consists of just O'Connell and Carter Bradley, who signed as an undrafted free agent last year and was promoted to the active roster from the practice squad in December.

          First-year general manager John Spytek said the Raiders would explore every avenue to fill up the quarterback position. After expressing interest in Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, the Raiders now are pivoting to other veteran free-agent options such as Sam Darnold, Russell Wilson and Justin Fields.

          Minshew has 68 touchdown passes and 34 interceptions in 59 career games -- 46 starts -- over parts of six seasons with the Raiders, Colts, Eagles and Jaguars. His best season came in 2023, when he passed for a career-high 3,305 yards in 17 games -- 13 starts -- with the Colts while helping Indianapolis go 7-6 in the games he started.