Last we heard, the Raiders were taking their time to announce their starting quarterback for the 2024 NFL season. That was two weeks ago, but now things have shifted. Head coach Antonio Pierce has indicated that the team aims to reveal the starter after their next exhibition game, according to ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez.
So, what triggered this change? “We’ve got to get ready to play football, and I believe we have enough film,” Pierce explained to the media after the team’s first preseason game. “By then, we’ll have two games to evaluate both quarterbacks and see how they’ll perform.”
Currently, it’s a two-way battle between veteran Gardner Minshew and second-year QB Aidan O’Connell. O’Connell started 10 games last year as a fourth-round rookie from Purdue, stepping in for a benched Jimmy Garoppolo. He finished with a 5-5 record, completing 62.1% of his passes with 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Minshew’s journey as a starter has been tumultuous. After being drafted from Washington State as a backup to Nick Foles in Jacksonville, he was thrust into action when Foles was sidelined with an injury. Minshew quickly gained popularity, finishing his rookie season with a 6-6 record and throwing 21 touchdowns against just six interceptions. However, in the following season, he struggled with injuries and a 1-7 record, leading to a loss of his starting position.
Minshew was traded to the Eagles, where he started four games over the next two years while backing up Jalen Hurts. After his rookie contract ended, he signed with the Colts, aiming to secure a starting position following Matt Ryan’s departure. Indianapolis then selected Anthony Richardson with the fourth overall pick, but Richardson suffered an injury and missed the last 12 games of the season. Minshew stepped in as the Colts’ starter and performed well, finishing last year with a 7-6 record over 13 starts.
O’Connell started the Raiders’ first preseason game, playing one quarter and completing seven of nine passes for 76 yards as he led an 83-yard drive that scored a field goal for Las Vegas. Minshew took over in the second quarter, completing six of 12 passes for 117 yards and a touchdown during four series of play.
The Raiders were considered a team that could have drafted a quarterback in the first round back in April, potentially competing with two unexpected starting candidates. Instead, they chose Georgia’s Brock Bowers, the top tight end prospect in the draft. In a recent interview on Scoop City, Raiders general manager Tom Telesco explained that the team didn’t exactly “pass” on a quarterback; he feels the draft didn’t unfold favorably for that option. Six quarterbacks were selected before the Raiders’ turn, and the next one wasn’t picked until the fifth round. Had an opportunity arisen, they might have added another contender for the job. However, they ended up acquiring a new asset for their current competitors.
Now, those competitors have one week to demonstrate their capabilities. They have a week of practices and a preseason game against the Cowboys to show they merit the starting position. We’ll be closely monitoring any updates in the coming week.
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