The Raiders are one of several teams doing homework on quarterbacks in advance of April’s draft. Adding a passer would comes as little surprise at this point, but incumbent Aidan O’Connell is still in play to serve as the team’s Week 1 starter. 
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“Well, you know you can’t have two quarterbacks on the roster, right? So, we know we have to add some,” head coach Antonio Pierce said about the team’s depth chart (via NFL.com). “The next wave is the draft. So we’ll see.”
Well before free agency opened, Pierce confirmed the Raiders would sign a veteran passer to replace Jimmy Garoppolo while noting O’Connell would have the chance to compete for the starter’s role. Gardner Minshew – who took over as the Colts’ starter after Anthony Richardson‘s season-ending injury – was added on a two-year, $25MM deal, terms which mean he will likely also be in the mix for the QB1 role.
Vegas currently owns pick No. 13, well short of the range of the top passers in the 2024 class. The team has been connected to an aggressive move up the board, though, and Jayden Daniels has a ‘30 visit‘ lined up. The same is also true of Michael Penix Jr., and other options could be available depending on when the Raiders’ first selection is ultimately made. A long-term investment at the position could bring about much-needed stability, but O’Connell would still have a shot at retaining the starting gig even with a high draft selection.
“At the end of the day, listen, Aidan O’Connell played his ass off,” Pierce added. “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.”
The 2023 fourth-rounder made 10 starts last season, including each of the last nine to close out the campaign. O’Connell threw seven total interceptions, although only one of those occurred over the final six games of the year. Building off that improved ball security would certainly help the Purdue product’s chances of holding down the role he had to finish off last season. 2024 will have a number of new faces on the field, along the sidelines and in the front office for the Raiders; it will be interesting to see how the team’s QB depth chart shakes out over the course of the summer.
Why are the Raiders looking to waste more draft picks on QB’s? Aidan O’Connell was the second best rookie QB last year. Gardner Minshew is a mid-tier starter.
There’s more important issues to solve than QB (which is more or less solved).
I’m not certain that his ceiling is any higher than say, Derek Carr. The team would have to be close to perfect for them to win at a high level with him at quarterback. That’s not to say he can’t 94 they won’t but it’s hard to win consistently in the league without a top shelf QB.
If I had my druthers I’d draft for need at 13 and then trade into the back end of the first for Pennix or Nix and hope for the best there.
Trading back in to the first is going to cost to much. If LV wants to take a QB it has to be at 13 at the very least. Nix will be gone by 12 when DEN picks. Penix is already on the radar of SEA at 16 and LAR at 19. If Penix is someone LV is serious about they need to secure him at 13 imo. If LV waits until he drops to the 2nd round TEN and ATL will have a chance to draft him before the Raiders pick at 44. Not to mention another team like NYG trading up in the early 2nd to secure Penix before LV drafts him.
Just my thoughts, I could be wrong.
I’m not sure the QB position is completely solved but the Raiders have certainly upgraded the depth chart since those days when it consisted of Glennon, Peterman and Kizer behind Carr.
As a raider fan I’d say the second best rookie QB was Tommy DeVitio. Compare his and Aidan’s stats while keeping in mind that Aidan had far better talent.
With that being said I don’t want the second best. Aidan did ok but I want better. Wasting draft picks is nothing new to the raiders. How many #1s have failed through the years? Ruggs, Leatherwood, Arnette, Ferrell….and those are recent ! I’d have rather traded all of those picks to see if a QB
works out.
Lastly look up Trevor Lawerence career stats vs Gardener. You’ll be surprised too.
JaMarcus Russell says it all, and that was before the tiered rookie salaries came to be. He got huge money to not watch tape and do absolutely nothing other than suck
As of now not as bad as the trey lance trade. At least the raiders didn’t trade a bunch of picks for JaMarcus. Just goes to show you though, It doesn’t matter where you pick but how you pick.
Because there’s 6-8 qb’s in this draft class that plausibly can be capable mid tier NFL qb’s and that the Raiders need much more than a qb, they should take an OT, CB, or edge rusher at #13 then take Penix, Nix or whoever in the second round. Build out the rest of the roster while you tread water at qb on a rookie deal for a few years. Then get the qb when you have the team around him to be successful.
Draft an O line and give AOC a shot. I believe in AP & AOC!