The Raiders are turning to Desmond Ridder, but the QB job isn’t for him yet.

CINCINNATI — Raiders coach Antonio Pierce did not name Desmond Ridder the team’s starting quarterback after Ridder replaced Gardner Minshew late in the third quarter of Las Vegas’ final 41-24 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

But Pierce admitted he was impressed with Ridder’s play, which included a 22-yard pass to rookie tight end Brock Bowers with 41 seconds to play.

“We didn’t get to see his athleticism until late, but you saw it, you saw him move in the pocket, you saw a strong arm,” Pierce said. “Again, he was in the building for 10 days, but I thought he was obviously competing.”

Ridder was signed off the Arizona Cardinals’ practice squad on Oct. 22, two days after Aidan O’Connell broke the thumb on his right (passing) hand in a loss to the Los Angeles Rams. O’Connell, making just his second start in place of the benched Minshew, is expected to miss four to six weeks and was placed on injured reserve the same day Las Vegas signed Ridder.

On Sunday, Minshev was substituted for the third time this season. Minshew, who signed a two-year free agent contract worth $25 million with $15 million guaranteed, was called a fumble on a failed pass to DJ Turner against the Bengals, his league-best 12th of the season.

“It’s frustrating,” said Minshew, who was 10 of 17 for 124 yards. “I always want to be there with my guys.”

Ridder, a third-round draft pick of the Atlanta Falcons out of Cincinnati in 2022, completed 11 of 16 passes for 74 yards and was sacked four times by a makeshift offensive line that forced three players down during the game. for ankle injuries. – left tackle Colton Miller, reserve left tackle Andrus Peat and left guard Cody Whitehair.

“I felt good, other than the hits,” Ridder said. “I walked up to the sideline and someone said, ‘This looks like your first car accident in years.’ It was nice to be there.

“We called this game like any other game. We were down, so we were in more of a passing mode, but I felt great… I just worked with all the other quarterbacks, the quarterbacks coach and the quarterbacks coach. (Offensive coordinator) Luke Getsy We’re working hard to improve not only me, but everyone else in the room.”

Ridder’s touchdown pass to Bowers came on 2nd-and-8.

“It was scrimmage practice, just an off-schedule game,” Ridder said. “We worked a lot on scrum drills in training and just to see it show up on film, to see it come to life, it was about finishing. We were able to go down there and get more points on the board. Obviously this was not the case.” It wasn’t enough, but it was the end.”

Las Vegas, meanwhile, is trying not to let the season end. Coming off their first five-game losing streak since 2018, the Raiders are tied at 2-7 with the New Orleans Saints, Cleveland Browns, Carolina Panthers, New York Giants and New England. Patriots” with the worst record in the NFL. Pierce said he plans to use the Raiders’ bye week to “reset” and “re-evaluate everything.”

“And when I say everything, I mean everything.”

That includes perhaps making the transition to the quarterback position more permanent.

And with the trade deadline set to expire on Tuesday, Pierce has turned the matter over to general manager Tom Telesco.

“I’m sure there are options here,” Pierce said. “Let’s see what we can do.”