Quarterback competition among position battles to take center stage in first preseason game

Aug 09, 2024 at 10:27 AM

Levi Edwards

Digital Team Reporter

After 11 training camp practices, there are a few things that are evident within the identity of the 2024 Las Vegas Raiders. Yet there's no clear separation at the quarterback position between Aidan O'Connell and Gardner Minshew II.

The two have been engaged in a friendly, yet highly competitive battle for the starting position. Both have gone back and forth making plays and improving within the offense, but it hasn't been an easy task going up against a dominant Raiders defense throughout camp.

For Antonio Pierce and his staff, they continue to find themselves with a "pick your poison" quarterback room.

"Aidan is your classic quarterback, drop back quarterback," Pierce said. "Put that back foot and let it hit, and then put that ball release, highly accurate, could throw the ball outside of numbers. Gardner is really savvy, does a good job of controlling, has poise, feels things around him, good feel in the pocket. Obviously, when the play breaks down, he's really good at [extending plays]."

Minshew: "I hate this dude." 🤣

O'Connell: "It's all an act." 🤣

Gardner Minshew and Aidan O'Connell discussed their relationship in the quarterback room.

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Not only do the two have different play-styles, but also different paths to the Raiders.

Minshew came into camp as one of the team's top free agent signings following a 2023 Pro Bowl nod. This could be the first time he claims the starting job decisively in his NFL career.

"I think the big thing for whoever's out there, we've got to take care of the ball," Minshew said. "I think that's going to be a big part of our success. I think we're going to count on our defense this year and just distribute the ball to the playmakers we have. ... I'm honestly just trying to compete against myself. I can get better."

O'Connell, on the other hand, is trying to hold onto the job he was elevated to last year after Pierce became interim head coach. Through camp so far, he's evenly split first-team reps with Minshew.

"I'm just trying to be the same guy every day," O'Connell said. "It's an unique position. You have good plays, you have bad plays and I'm not rooting that Gardner would have bad plays because if he has good plays normally, it means our offense is having good plays. So, that's part of my role. That's part of being a teammate [in] a team sport. Just trying to doing my best to support the guys, encourage the guys and try to lead them the best I can."

Both O'Connell and Minshew believe that Saturday's preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings won't be the deciding factor in naming a starter, but acknowledge the magnitude of the contest. Pierce announced Wednesday that both quarterbacks will play a full quarter of the game.

"[A] lot of different factors play into it, right? Defensive play, who's going with the ones, who's going with the twos," Pierce said. "This preseason game will be very telling. I want to see these guys take care of the ball, manage the team, take care of situational football."