Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce has insinuated that Aidan O’Connell could still be their starting quarterback next year after a less-than-convincing rookie season.
This is despite the team signing Gardner Minshew, who impressed enough to be named a Pro Bowler last year, with the team also holding the No. 13 pick in a loaded 2024 NFL Draft quarterback class.
The Raiders are consistently linked with the likes of JJ McCarthy, Bo Nix and Michael Penix Jr, but it appears that their head coach would be more than happy to roll into the season with O’Connell as the starter, stating that he has “earned that right.”
Pierce told reporters: “At the end of the day, listen, Aidan O’Connell played his ass off. He did a helluva job for us. You’re talking about a kid that has the mental toughness to play in the National Football League. Whatever happens and whatever we do it has to go through Aidan O’Connell. Being honest with you because he’s earned that right.
“Like anybody else it’s all about competition. And if we can make that room the most competitive room on our team, the quarterback room, we’ll be a good football team.”
His quotes suggest that O’Connell will have the upper-hand over Minshew in getting the starting job should the Raiders not select a quarterback in the draft, despite the team handing him a $25 million contract.
While impressing at times in his rookie season, throwing for 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions, O’Connell had his struggles – with the Raiders offense failing to get the best out of their star players.
The team will face an extremely tough schedule for the foreseeable future, with its AFC West opponents having the likes of Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert at the quarterback position – and with the Denver Broncos seemingly set to select a quarterback at No. 12.
The Raiders will have the pick after Denver, with one of Nix and Penix Jr likely to be available – as Pierce has insisted he will have no issue having three quarterbacks on the team.
He added: “Well, you know you can’t have two quarterbacks on the roster, right? So, we know we have to add some. The next wave is the draft. So we’ll see.”
