Report: Brian Hoyer will start Sunday at Chicago Bears

Veteran will replace Jimmy Garoppolo at the Chicago Bears on Sunday?

UPDATED at 2:12 p.m. PT

The Athletic is reporting veteran Brian Hoyer will start for the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday at the Chicago Bears.

PREVIOUSLY

With Sunday’s game at the Chicago Bears (kickoff is at 10 a.m. PT Sunday) less than 48 hours away, Las Vegas Raiders coach Josh McDaniels indicated Friday that the team has yet to decide who will be an injury replacement for starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo on Sunday.

Garoppolo was reportedly ruled out of the game Thursday with a back injury he suffered Sunday in a 21-17 win over the New England Patriots.

McDaniels said Friday he will decide whether veteran Brian Hoyer or rookie Aidan O’Connell will play after watching Friday’s practice.

“Both guys are having a good week practicing,” McDaniels said. “ We’ll see how today goes and then we’re just going to make the right decision. I think at the end of the day, both of them are going to be ready to go. I have confidence in both of them.’

Of course, there is a chance McDaniels already knows who will be starting, but isn’t ready to announce it.

There has been a working assumption that the Raiders would go with Hoyer if Garoppolo needed to be replaced during a game and they would turn to O’Connell if he had a week to prepare for a game. Both scenarios have already unfolded.

O’Connell, a fourth-round pick from Purdue, started in a Week 4 loss at the Los Angeles Chargers when Garoppolo was out with a concussion. Hoyer replaced Garoppolo last week as O’Connell was the emergency quarterback.

If Hoyer gets the call, that might be an indication that O’Connell’s three turnovers against the Chargers is keeping him from getting the nod again.

Meanwhile, cornerbacks Nate Hobbs and Jakorian Bennett will both miss the Bears’ game.