Raiders QBs O’Connell, Minshew Validate a Possible Draft Strategy

Aidan O’Connell, the starting quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders, just ended his debut season, but he knows he’ll face competition in 2024.

This offseason, the second-year pro will compete for the job with free-agent signing Gardner Minshew, and Vegas might potentially add a youngster to the mix at the draft next week. The idea of competition does not concern the former Boilermaker.

“I think especially at this level, and I thought the same thing at Purdue, but especially at this level, there’s going to be competition,” O’Connell told the team’s website. “I mean, it’s the absolute finest. The coaches and management seek to bring in the best players possible to try to improve the club.

O’Connell started 10 games as a rookie, throwing for 2,218 yards, 12 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Following Josh McDaniels’ departure midway through the season, O’Connell took over the starting job permanently from Jimmy Garoppolo. The rookie started the final nine games as the Raiders finished 5-4, winning three of their final four games.

The 25-year-old showed flashes but struggled for portions as defenses gathered more footage, especially in the Christmas Day win over the Kansas City Chiefs, when he completed only 9 of 21 passes for 62 yards as the defense and ground game took center stage.

O’Connell will face Minshew, who established last season in Indianapolis that he is a dependable starter who can keep an offense running.