It’s anyone’s guess as to who will be the starting quarterback for the Raiders this season, but if it’s close, the expectation is that Aidan O’Connell will get the keys to the offense.
The Raiders did add Gardner Minshew this offseason, who should give them solid production at the position if needed. However, Minshew is limited as a passer and his lack of size can be an issue.
In a recent article by Pro Football Focus, they ranked all 32 starters ahead of the 2024 season. They listed O’Connell and Minshew together and the duo came in at No. 30, just ahead of J.J. McCarthy and Bo Nix. Here is what the site had to say about the quarterback situation for Las Vegas:
Both Minshew and O’Connell started games in 2023, and they’ll now be competing for the same job in 2024. Their passing grades were close, with O’Connell recording a 64.6 and Minshew posting a 60.6. Those were good for 29th and 33rd, respectively, versus the rest of the league.
O’Connell was the more efficient of the two, with a higher big-time throw rate, higher adjusted completion percentage and lower turnover-worthy play rate. Regardless of who wins the starting job for Week 1, neither is a big needle-mover right now.
The quarterback situation in Las Vegas isn’t great right now, and there is no reason to sugarcoat it. But the hope is that O’Connell can make a big leap in Year 2. With the improvements on the offensive line and the addition of Brock Bowers, maybe that will happen.
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