The Las Vegas Raiders had high hopes for Derek Carr when they selected him in 2014 NFL Draft. After nine seasons with the Raiders where the team reached the playoffs just twice (losing in the Wild Card both times), the organization parted ways with Carr in hopes of finding a new leader.
With the 2024 NFL season just a few months away, it remains unclear who will start at quarterback for the Silver and Black. Aidan O’Connell, 25, started 10 games as a rookie last season. Gardner Minshew, 27, is also on the roster. He has already started 37 games with three different organizations. The Raiders also hold the 13th pick in the NFL draft and could trade up to secure a quarterback from a talented 2024 class. That leaves plenty of options for head coach Antonio Pierce.
Per NFL.com, O’Connell spoke about proving himself and once again challenging for the starting spot.
“Especially at this level, there’s going to be competition,” said O’Connell. “It’s new at this level for me, but it’s nothing new in terms of the competition. It’s been even since high school what I’ve been dealing with and working through. That’s just part of the game. It’s not unique to any one position, it’s how it is at every position.”
Aidan O'Connell ready to compete for Raiders' starting QB job: "It's the best of the best"https://t.co/xacTs5KZrx pic.twitter.com/xDqLT1p98g
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) April 18, 2024
O’Connell was a standout at Purdue and threw for over 3,400 yards in 2021 and again in 2022.
The Raiders selected him with the 135th overall pick in the 2023 draft and he showed glimpses of what makes him special las year. Over 11 games, O’Connell went on to complete 213 passes for 2218 yards and recorded 12 touchdowns.
