Las Vegas quarterback Gardner Minshew throws a pass Saturday night against the Dallas Cowboys. Minshew has been chosen as the Raiders’ starter, beating out incumbent Aidan O’Connell. Steve Marcus/Associated Press

HENDERSON, Nev. — Gardner Minshew made a name for himself as a quarterback who can provide a spark off the bench. Now he will get the chance to start for the Las Vegas Raiders when they open their season next month.

Coach Antonio Pierce made the announcement Sunday. Minshew got the nod over Aidan O’Connell.

Pierce said Minshew’s experience and his handling of the offense gave him the edge.

“Certainly, some of what he showed in practice showed up in the games,” Pierce said. “A lot of stuff we can get better at. I don’t think anything here is a finished product, but based off of where we want to go in the first quarter of the season, we feel like Gardner gives us our best opportunity.”

The Raiders host the San Francisco 49ers on Friday in their final preseason game. They open their season Sept. 8 in Los Angeles against the Chargers.

Minshew, now in his sixth year, nearly led the Indianapolis Colts to the playoffs last season. He took over after rookie QB Anthony Richardson injured his shoulder four games into the season.

Minshew, 28, went 7-6 as the starter, passing for 3,305 yards with 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions. With Richardson coming back for this season, Minshew moved on to Las Vegas, signing a two-year, $25 million contract.

Minshew was competing with O’Connell, who took over in the middle of last season and went 5-4 down the stretch during his rookie year with Las Vegas.

Neither quarterback separated himself during the preseason, which Pierce acknowledged after Saturday night’s 27-12 loss to Dallas. Minshew completed 10 of 21 passes for 95 yards against the Cowboys, and O’Connell was 14 of 20 for 96 yards with a touchdown and an interception that was returned for a TD.

Both played much better the week before at Minnesota, with O’Connell leading a 15-play, 83-yard drive that ended in a field goal and Minshew coming in to guide three series that resulted in 17 points.

Pierce had said he wanted to select a starter after the Raiders faced the Cowboys, and he followed through on Sunday. He said Minshew’s personality is infectious.

“Things of improvement – footwork in the pocket, staying on script,” Pierce said. “There is some magic about him when he does break the pocket and does his thing, but there are a lot of times, the first or second read is there, we’ve got to let it rip. He understands that, and more importantly, taking care of the football.”

Minshew may have the job for now, but that doesn’t mean he will keep it all season.

“I told them both just be ready,” Pierce said. “In the National Football League, you never know. Aidan is a young player that has tremendous upside and I think will be a starter at some point in this league, whether it’s this year or next year. But he will play in games. I think Gardner’s done a good job of being that older presence.”

VIKINGS: Minnesota agreed to a one-year contract with Stephon Gilmore, becoming the fifth cornerback the team has added since training camp began in an effort to bolster a vital position group.

Gilmore will get $7 million guaranteed on a deal that could be worth as much as $10 million, his agent, Jason Chayut, told ESPN. The 2019 AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year with New England and five-time Pro Bowl pick is joining his fifth team in five seasons.

RAMS: Coach Sean McVay thinks quarterback Matthew Stafford should be ready to play in the team’s season opener at Detroit.

Stafford departed a joint practice with the Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday because of hamstring tightness. It’s unclear how much he will be able to practice this week, but McVay has no concerns about Stafford’s availability for the Sept. 8 opener against the Lions.

“If we miss a couple days this week, if that’s the approach we take on the safer side, he’ll still have 2 1/2 weeks of preparation for Detroit,” McVay said Sunday in a video call.

BROWNS: Deshaun Watson’s preseason debut remains on schedule. It’s still not known who will be blocking for the Cleveland quarterback.

Three more offensive tackles got hurt during Cleveland’s exhibition loss to Minnesota on Saturday, further depleting the vital position as the Browns wait for starters Jedrick Wills Jr. and Jack Conklin to return from injuries.

Watson is set to play this week in Cleveland’s exhibition finale at Seattle. It would be his first game action since breaking his right shoulder in November.

As of now, Browns Coach Kevin Stefanski said that objective has not been altered by the rash of injuries at tackle.

“The plan is for him to play,” Stefanski said Sunday on a Zoom call. “I always take in information, so I’m going to make sure I talk to and work through that this week. Not going to get into who plays and how much just yet, but going to certainly work through that in the next couple of days.”

Watson was kept out of Cleveland’s first two preseason games as the team closely monitors his progress after the 28-year-old underwent surgery to repair the broken glenoid bone in his throwing shoulder.