The 2024 NFL Draft has proven to be a significant one for quarterbacks, with six being selected within the first 12 picks. However, the Las Vegas Raiders, holding the 13th overall pick, opted to address other needs, solidifying their quarterback room through free agency and previous draft selections.
Antonio Pierce, who took over as head coach of the Raiders in midseason 2023 after the firing of Josh McDaniels, now faces the challenge of evaluating his quarterbacks ahead of the upcoming season. The team signed Gardner Minshew to a two-year, $25 million contract, $15 million of which is guaranteed. Additionally, Aidan O'Connell, a fourth-round pick from the 2023 draft, remains a key player in the battle for the starting position.
Quarterback Performance Analysis
In a recent preseason home game against the Dallas Cowboys, the Raiders fell 27-12. Minshew completed 10 of 21 passes for 95 yards, while O'Connell threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to tight end Harrison Bryant and had a 69-yard interception return for a touchdown by Dallas defensive back Kemon Hall. O'Connell's effort on the subsequent two-point attempt was unsuccessful, highlighting the ongoing struggles in the Raiders' offense.
"I'm going all the way back to OTAs, minicamp, training camp, two preseason games. There's going to be a lot of factors obviously, right?" said Pierce. "Command of the offense, the operational part. Efficiency. The turnovers are huge. That shows up. Taking care of the football is going to be important for our team."
Pierce's assessment underscores the complexities of evaluating quarterbacks in the preseason. Both Minshew and O'Connell were given roughly equal opportunities to showcase their abilities, with the coach striving to maintain a balance in playing time. "I mean, everything. You can't take the good and not take the bad. Wish it went well for both gentlemen. It just didn't. We'll look at it, and we'll evaluate. They both had opportunities. Aidan had 20 attempts, and Minshew had 21, so about as balanced as we can get it. We'll look at it," Pierce remarked.
Decisions Ahead
The decision on who will start has yet to be determined, an uncertainty confirmed by Pierce. "Everybody wants to see a player just take it and say, 'I'm your guy,' like I've been saying from Day 1. Obviously [that's] probably not the case," he noted, reflecting the coaching staff's ongoing deliberations. The upcoming days will be pivotal in finalizing the roster and gearing up for the season.
Pierce also confirmed that the starters, including both Minshew and O'Connell, will not be playing in the third preseason game. "Yeah, we've seen enough reps. Two games, like we talked about. Our guys are not playing in the third preseason game, our starters, so we'll sleep on it and make a decision in the next couple days," he said, indicating that their evaluations from the first two games will heavily influence the final decision.
Looking at the Bigger Picture
The Raiders' performance against the Cowboys and the dynamics within the quarterback room are just pieces of a larger puzzle. As Pierce steps into his first full season as head coach, the team's success will hinge on how effectively the coaching staff can navigate these evaluations and how the players respond to the decisions made.
For now, the spotlight remains firmly on Minshew and O'Connell as they await their fate. With Pierce's emphasis on efficiency and ball security, the next days are critical for the quarterbacks to prove their worth and for the Raiders to solidify their plans for the season ahead.