Aidan O’Connell

Raiders Activate QB Aidan O’Connell, Place CB Jakorian Bennett On IR

November 28th, 2024 at 12:25pm CST by Adam La Rose

Aidan O’Connell will indeed be in place for the Raiders for their Black Friday contest. The second-year quarterback was activated from injured reserve on Thursday, per a team announcement.

[RELATED: IR Return Tracker]

O’Connell was designated for return earlier this week with the expectation he would be activated in time to start against the Chiefs tomorrow. The QB1 gig will be his the rest of the way this year given Gardner Minshew‘s broken collarbone. Minshew was officially moved to IR in a corresponding move.

The Raiders have been linked to a quarterback pursuit this offseason given their struggles on offense, although both Minshew and O’Connell are under contract for 2025. The latter has made 12 total starts in the NFL, but after showing a degree of promise late last season the current campaign has not gone according to plan. O’Connell, 26, will be joined on the depth chart by Desmond Ridder over the coming weeks but it would come as no surprise if one or more new signal-callers were to be added this offseason.

Vegas also placed cornerback Jakorian Bennett on IR Thursday. The 2023 fourth-rounder handled rotational duties as a rookie but he has been a mainstay in the secondary this season. Bennett has logged a defensive snap share of 71% this season, posting 26 tackles and eight pass deflections. In coverage, the Maryland product has allowed a completion percentage of just 52.3% and has yet to surrender a touchdown as the nearest defender. His absence (which will last at least the next four games) will be acutely felt in the Raiders’ secondary.

The Bennett move opened up a spot on the active roster, and it has been filled by wideout Terrace Marshall. The former Panthers draftee was waived during roster cutdowns and he briefly spent time on the 49ers’ practice squad. Marshall has most recently been with Vegas, and has been used as a gameday elevation once already. The former second-rounder will now get a look on the roster as he looks to carve out a role in the team’s receiving corps.

Raiders Designate QB Aidan O’Connell For Return; Daniel Jones Rules Out Las Vegas

November 26th, 2024 at 9:23am CST by Sam Robinson

NOVEMBER 26: The Raiders do indeed plan to start O’Connell this week, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports. With Minshew sidelined for the remainder of the year, O’Connell will be in place to retain QB1 duties the rest of the way.

NOVEMBER 25: Gardner Minshew failed to finish a Raiders-Broncos game for the second time, with the oft-benched quarterback going down with a broken collarbone yesterday. Antonio Pierce confirmed reports of the break Monday and said Aidan O’Connell is in play to return this week.

The Raiders have since designated O’Connell for return from IR. This marked the second-year quarterback’s first week of return eligibility. The Raiders will now have 21 days to activate the QB to the active roster, but it sounds like O’Connell could return as soon as Black Friday. The signal caller has been rehabbing a broken thumb suffered in late October.

With Minshew failing to impress to begin the campaign, O’Connell eventually took over atop the depth chart. He got his first start in Week 6, completing 27 of his 40 pass attempts for 227 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. However, he was knocked out of his second start after only 14 snaps, and his placement on IR kept him off the field for the past four games.

In four appearances this season, O’Connell completed 63.4 percent of his passes for two touchdowns and two interceptions. This followed a 2023 campaign where the rookie fourth-round pick went 5-5 while throwing 12 touchdowns vs. 11 interceptions. While the Raiders are well outside of the playoff picture, O’Connell will still have a chance to build on his career numbers for the stretch run of the season.

He could also make an argument for the QB1 role ahead of the 2025 campaign. O’Connell remains attached to his rookie contract through 2026, while Minshew was added on a two-year pact in the spring. The Raiders should also be armed with a top pick in next year’s draft, so there’s a chance the team adds another QB to the mix before the start of the 2025 season.

With Minshew being lost for the season, the Raiders will no longer have to make a decision following O’Connell’s activation. Minshew improved on his turnovers over his past four starts, with the veteran tossing five scores vs. two picks over that span. When the QB was knocked out of yesterday’s game, he was replaced by Desmond Ridder, who completed five of 10 passes while also taking a pair of sacks.

Considering the Raiders’ inconsistent play at the position in 2024, they’ve been mentioned as a natural suitor for Daniel Jones. While the team did indeed show some interest in the former Giants starter, the quarterback has “eliminated Las Vegas from consideration,” per Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report. Jones has received interest from “multiple” playoff squads and is interested in joining a contender.

Ben Levine contributed to this post.

Raiders To Sign QB Desmond Ridder

October 21st, 2024 at 8:32pm CST by Ben Levine

With Aidan O’Connell heading to IR, the Raiders are adding some quarterback depth. The team is signing Desmond Ridder off the Cardinals practice squad, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

Ridder was a fourth-round pick by the Falcons in 2022. The former Cincinnati star went 2-2 as a rookie after replacing Marcus Mariota as Atlanta’s QB1, and he spent the majority of last season as the team’s top quarterback. He ultimately started 17 games during his two-season stint in Atlanta, going 8-9 while completing 64 percent of his passes for 3,544 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He also added another five touchdowns on the ground.

The QB was briefly replaced by Taylor Heinicke during the 2023 season. While Ridder eventually returned to the starting lineup, it was clear he didn’t have a future in Atlanta. After the organization added Kirk Cousins via free agency this offseason, Ridder was dealt to the Cardinals for wideout Rondale Moore.

Ridder was competing to be Kyler Murray‘s backup in Arizona but ended up losing the competition to Clayton Tune. The third-year pro later landed on the Cardinals practice squad, where he’s spent the first two months of the season.

Now, he could have an opportunity to play in Las Vegas. O’Connell fractured his thumb during yesterday’s loss, leaving the Raiders with Gardner Minshew and undrafted rookie Carter Bradley as their only two QBs. Minshew, who leads the NFL with 10 turnovers, was replaced as the starter two weeks ago. While the former Jaguars standout will likely slide back to the top of the depth chart, there’s a good chance he’s on a short leash, perhaps opening the door for a Ridder cameo.

Raiders To Place QB Aidan O’Connell On IR

October 21st, 2024 at 9:46am CST by Adam La Rose

Aidan O’Connell‘s time as the Raiders’ starting quarterback in 2024 has proven to be short-lived. The broken thumb he suffered on Sunday will lead to an extended absence.

O’Connell is expected to miss four to six weeks, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The second-year passer will seek a second opinion on his diagnosis, he adds. Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network report, meanwhile, that O’Connell is headed to injured reserve.

As a result, the 26-year-old will miss at least the next four games. O’Connell began the year as Vegas’ backup, but veteran free agent addition Gardner Minshew did not live up to expectations. That led to the Raiders’ QB competition re-starting midway through the campaign, with O’Connell taking over in Week 6. He was unable to lead the team to a win in that contest, and he suffered the injury early in Vegas’ loss to the Rams yesterday.

The Raiders now sit at 2-5 on the year, adding further uncertainty to the team’s direction under center moving forward. O’Connell remains attached to his rookie contract through 2026, while Minshew was added on a two-year pact in the spring. The latter’s contract includes guarantees for 2025, but it would still come as no surprise if another pursuit of an upgrade at the position were to take place during the coming offseason. Vegas showed interest in a move up the draft order in April, specifically targeting a reunion between Jayden Daniels and head coach Antonio Pierce. That did not come to pass, as expected, creating the need for the Minshew-O’Connell competition during the summer.

Neither passer was particularly impressive before Minshew’s experience gave him a slight advantage. Despite being replaced, the journeyman will now find himself atop the depth chart for the foreseeable future. Minshew, 28, could stake his claim for the 2025 QB1 gig in Vegas with a strong showing over the coming weeks, although expectations have been lowered for a Raiders offense which no longer features All-Pro wideout Davante Adams. At a minimum, Minshew could increase his value in the eyes of potential offseason suitors.

Undrafted rookie Carter Bradley could be promoted from the practice squad in the wake of today’s news to give Vegas two healthy quarterbacks. If not, the team could be in the market for a temporary addition to serve as Minshew’s backup. As O’Connell turns his attention to recovery, his timeline should allow him to return later in the year.

Raiders QB Aidan O’Connell Suffers Broken Thumb

October 20th, 2024 at 6:31pm CST by Ely Allen

Aidan O’Connell‘s stint back as the starter in Las Vegas was a short one. In only his second start of the season, O’Connell left today’s game in Los Angeles with a hand injury. According to Ian Rapoport, preliminary tests seem to indicate that the second-year passer broke his thumb. He’ll undergo further testing tomorrow in order to determine the severity of the injury.

As a fourth-round rookie last year out of Purdue, O’Connell took over the starting job under center after Jimmy Garoppolo failed to establish himself as a successful starter. With Garoppolo benched, O’Connell started 10 games, including the final nine of the season, going 5-5 as a starter and throwing 12 touchdowns to seven interceptions.

In the offseason, Las Vegas signed Gardner Minshew after the young journeyman led the Colts to a 9-8 record in 2023. Minshew had stepped in as an injury replacement for a rookie Anthony Richardson and handled himself well managing the offense.

An offseason position battle ensued between O’Connell and Minshew with Minshew winning the job after the team’s first preseason game. With Minshew running the offense, the Raiders started 2-3. In a Week 5 matchup in Denver, Minshew threw two interceptions, officially giving him more picks than touchdowns, before hitting the bench in favor of O’Connell. Las Vegas announced that it would reopen its quarterback competition and settled on O’Connell as the starter for Week 6.

O’Connell was unable to come away with a win last week, but he put forth a decent effort, completing nearly 68 percent of his passes for 227 yards, one touchdown, and an interception. O’Connell was doing a decent job to start today’s game against the Rams before succumbing to injury, but he was only in for two drives before leaving the game. As an injury replacement for O’Connell Minshew struggled mightily. He completed fewer than 50 percent of his passes and threw three interceptions in a game that the defense kept well within reach.

The Raiders will hope that the tests tomorrow reveal a short-term injury, but a broken thumb on O’Connell’s throwing hand might not be a quick and easy recovery. Without another quarterback on the 53-man roster, it appears that Minshew will be the answer if O’Connell misses extended time. Las Vegas rosters rookie quarterback Carter Bradley out of South Alabama on the practice squad, but they may be shopping the market if O’Connell is ruled out for an extended period.

Aidan O’Connell Could Impact Possibility Of Davante Adams Trade?

October 13th, 2024 at 10:30pm CST by Rory Parks

In keeping with recent reports suggesting that the trade market for Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams could be cooling, ESPN’s Adam Schefter confirms that Adams may indeed remain with Las Vegas for the rest of the season. That is primarily because the club continues to push for a second-round pick plus additional compensation in an Adams trade, and it also wants the acquiring team to cover the entirety of Adams’ remaining 2024 base salary.

In addition to the Raiders’ demands – to say nothing of how the Jets’ firing of HC Robert Saleh and the multi-week injury to Saints QB Derek Carr might impact trade talks – a more unexpected factor could play a role in keeping Adams in Nevada. Per Schefter, the Raiders’ recent decision to bench quarterback Gardner Minshew in favor of second-year passer Aidan O’Connell could make Adams reconsider his desire to be traded.

Last year, Adams was frustrated when Las Vegas deployed Jimmy Garoppolo under center, and those frustrations dissipated when O’Connell emerged as the QB1 (a move that Adams endorsed and to which he tied his future with the Raiders). Sources tell Schefter that Adams believes O’Connell is one of the best signal-callers he has played with, and he is intrigued by the prospect of catching passes from the Purdue product once again.

That said, both Schefter and Dianna Russini of The Athletic (subscription required) report that the Jets, Saints, Steelers, and Bills continue to discuss a potential deal with the Raiders. Schefter adds that Pittsburgh brass was expected to continue those discussions in person yesterday, as the Steelers are in Las Vegas for their Week 6 game against the Raiders.

Additionally, Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda hears that an Adams trade could happen as early as next week, and that the Jets are the most aggressive suitor at the moment (last week, New Orleans was reportedly making the hardest push to land the soon-to-be 32-year-old). According to Pauline, the Saleh firing and the subsequent demotion of OC Nathaniel Hackett has not made Adams any less open to playing for Gang Green, but Pauline is in agreement with Schefter that O’Connell’s presence could scuttle trade talks.

Mark Davis is fond of Adams, who is said to have the owner’s ear. Pauline says it is certainly possible that, with O’Connell back in the starting lineup, Adams could ask Davis to break off discussions with rival clubs.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, however, believes the reports indicating that the Raiders could keep Adams are being driven by the team itself in order to create leverage that it does not presently have. After all, regardless of whether Minshew or O’Donnell is at the helm, it is difficult to envision Las Vegas making a deep playoff run, and as a non-contender with a talented but aging player who is due a non-guaranteed $35.6MM base salary in 2025, the only logical move for the Raiders is to deal the decorated wideout.

Likewise, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports hears from multiple league sources that Las Vegas is merely bluffing. One source said, “feels a bit like Vegas is trying to put the toothpaste back in the tube to salvage Davante’s market. I think everyone knows their only play is to deal him.”

In Florio’s estimation, the Jets are the only club that truly wants Adams at the moment, and Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network hears that this could be a “Jets or bust” situation (video link). Garafolo adds that if New York should win its game against the Bills tomorrow night – which would move Gang Green into first place in the AFC East – the club may be more inclined to make a bold strike for their long-desired target (even though Jones, contrary to Pauline, says the Saleh firing has indeed made Adams a little more wary of going to the Jets).

Adams will be sidelined for today’s matchup with the Steelers due to a hamstring ailment. It will mark his third straight absence.

Raiders To Start Aidan O’Connell In Week 6

October 9th, 2024 at 10:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

Unlike the Las Vegas development earlier this season, Gardner Minshew‘s benching will last into the next week. Antonio Pierce announced Wednesday afternoon it will be Aidan O’Connell in Week 6.

The Raiders had been reportedly set to relaunch their Minshew-O’Connell competition from this offseason, going through practices to determine the starter. That would have been somewhat unusual given all the intel the team already has on the two passers. After sitting Minshew twice during games this season, Pierce will give O’Connell another shot.

Pierce said (via ESPN.com’s Paul Gutierrez) he wants O’Connell to start for the rest of the season, though the second-year Raiders HC couched that stance by noting Minshew would return to the lineup if needed. This back-and-forth has lasted for months, with an O’Connell offseason lead eventually turning into Minshew winning the job. Pierce then benched Minshew in Weeks 3 and 5. Pierce is now going back to the player who started throughout his interim HC run.

This brings O’Connell’s second in-season promotion. Although the 2023 fourth-round pick started in place of Jimmy Garoppolo in a game early last season (featuring a Khalil Mack sack explosion), Josh McDaniels went with Brian Hoyer over him when Garoppolo sustained a second injury. Shortly after the Raiders canned McDaniels, Pierce gave O’Connell the job for good. Garoppolo did not start another game with the team and was released, via a post-June 1 cut, this offseason.

O’Connell, who is already 26 despite entering the NFL last year, completed 62.1% of his passes as a rookie (at 6.5 per attempt). That came largely under interim OC Bo Hardegree, who is not on this year’s Raiders staff. O’Connell is at 59.4% and 5.5 per pass under OC Luke Getsy, though 32 passes is obviously not a sufficient sample size. The Raiders will expand that number beginning against the Steelers, but this ongoing drama should be expected to produce ties to future QB options soon.

The Raiders gave Minshew a two-year, $25MM deal ($15MM guaranteed at signing) as insurance in case the draft board did not fall their way. After Pierce pushed for a trade-up — with an unrealistic climb for former Arizona State charge Jayden Daniels the ultimate goal — GM Tom Telesco stood down. The Raiders had hosted Bo Nix on a pre-draft visit and were linked to Michael Penix Jr., but they did not view either as trade-up targets. Denver chose Nix at No. 12, and Las Vegas went with a best-player-available pick in Brock Bowers at 13. Bowers has shown immediate promise, and while he will currently be tasked with helping O’Connell, the Raiders will be looking for a way out of this long-running QB chapter soon.

Minshew, who is being benched despite at 70.7% completion rate (7.2 yards per attempt, albeit with a 4-to-5 TD-INT ratio) secured $3.16MM of his 2025 base salary ($11.84MM) guaranteed at signing. It will cost the Raiders $7.66MM in dead money to drop him in 2025. The Raiders are already on the hook for more than $17MM in dead cap due to the Garoppolo release; $12.8MM of that sum will hit the team’s cap sheet in 2025.

Minshew, 27, led the Colts to the playoff precipice; like Joe Flacco, he proved a more accurate solution than project Anthony Richardson. QBR slotted Minshew 13th last season. This led to the Raiders making him the second-highest-paid QB free agent of this year’s class. But he is now following Garoppolo — last year’s highest-paid QB free agent — in being benched for O’Connell, who joined Minshew in throwing INTs to Patrick Surtain on Sunday. Minshew threw a second pick in his Denver outing as well.

The Raiders enjoyed QB stability for nine seasons, with Derek Carr a dependable (if unremarkable) starter. The team has since started five QBs since Carr’s late-season benching two years ago. It will be O’Connell’s turn again, and with the Raiders having him under contract through 2026, this Minshew demotion gives the (slightly) younger passer a chance to audition for a 2025 stopgap gig.

Raiders To Relaunch QB Competition

October 9th, 2024 at 9:20am CST by Sam Robinson

After benching Gardner Minshew in two of their past three games, the Raiders are now planning to make the veteran reclaim the job via a competition with backup Aidan O’Connell.

The QBs’ latest battle will take place in practice this week, The Athletic’s Vic Tafur notes. This marks another chapter in a long-running matchup to determine which quarterback is Las Vegas’ better stopgap option, as ties to 2025 draft prospects are undoubtedly coming soon. For now, the Raiders will need to again pick Minshew or O’Connell, the team’s options after six quarterbacks went off this year’s draft board before the team’s No. 13 overall pick.

Antonio Pierce put a temporary halt to speculation he would bench Minshew, but after Patrick Surtain‘s 100-yard pick-six keyed a Broncos blowout that featured a second Minshew interception, the Vegas HC has not provided the sixth-year veteran any assurances the job is still his for the team’s Week 6 matchup against the Steelers. O’Connell, the team’s starter for the second half of last season, may soon have his latest chance.

Although O’Connell also tossed an interception to Surtain in the Raiders’ 34-18 loss, one of Pierce’s first decisions as interim HC was to install him as QB1. The Raiders benched Jimmy Garoppolo shortly after firing Josh McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler last year, and the fourth-round pick started every game during Pierce’s interim period. O’Connell also was believed to have a leg up on Minshew during the passers’ offseason competition, but Pierce cited the veteran as the better option to help the team start strong. Despite a road win over the Ravens, the Raiders have been unable to establish consistent offense with Minshew at the controls.

Minshew ranks 27th in QBR, representing a steep fall from his Colts finish (13th) last season. Minshew commanded a two-year, $25MM deal this offseason — a pact that led all non-Kirk Cousins FA passers in this class — but became insurance in the event the Raiders did not draft a passer this year. Minshew has 42 career starts on his resume but may well be headed back to the bench, as it would be interesting if Pierce benched the incumbent twice only to like his most recent practice work and keep the status quo in place. O’Connell has completed just 57% of his passes, at 5.5 yards per attempt, in relief duty this season.

Raiders Bench QB Gardner Minshew

October 6th, 2024 at 10:13pm CST by Adam La Rose

Gardner Minshew received the backing of Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce earlier in the season, but a quarterback change has indeed been made partway through the team’s Week 5 matchup.

Minshew began the game completing 12 of 17 passes for 137 yards and one touchdown. He threw an interception when the Raiders were close to scoring a touchdown, however, with Broncos corner Patrick Surtain returning it 100 yards for a Denver score. Minshew then tossed another pick late in the third quarter, and Vegas’ next possession had Aidan O’Connell in at quarterback. He completed 10 of his 20 passing attempts for 94 yards and an interception of his own as the Raiders fell to the Broncos, 34-18.

Pierce declined to name a Week 6 start immediately after the loss, according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, but the mid-game switch indicates that a long-term change at quarterback is under consideration.

O’Connell had an encouraging finish to his rookie season in 2023, having been inserted into the lineup once Pierce was promoted to head coach on an interim basis. O’Connell received praise from the head coach during the offseason, but the Raiders gave Minshew a two-year, $25MM pact in free agency to serve as a bridge starter mentoring a rookie or a veteran capable of handling full-time starting duties. Neither passer ran away with the QB1 gig this summer, and it was Minshew who got the nod for the beginning of the campaign.

Through Vegas’ first four contests, the 28-year-old completed a career-high 70.7% of his passes. That resulted in an average of only 219 yards per game, though, and Minshew threw as many touchdowns (three) as interceptions. Struggling in the turnover department today – something which was a factor in him landing the starter’s role in the first place – has exacerbated the ongoing questions about Minshew’s status atop the depth chart. For a brief stretch, at least, O’Connell will get the opportunity to lead the Raiders’ offense.

Of course, that unit does not have All-Pro wideout Davante Adams in place for time being, and a trade sending him elsewhere could be finalized in the coming days. The likes of first-round rookie tight end Brock Bowers and veteran receiver Jakobi Meyers will handle the build of Vegas’ pass-catching work provided Adams does end up being dealt ahead of the trade deadline. With or without him, a strong showing by O’Connell, 26, could allow him to take over as the starter moving forward.

The Purdue product is attached to his rookie contract through the 2026 campaign, while Minshew’s deal includes $3.16MM guaranteed for next year. Both signal-callers should remain in the fold regardless of how the rest of this season plays out, but an extended O’Connell evaluation period could now be in store.

Raiders Not Benching Gardner Minshew

September 25th, 2024 at 3:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

SEPTEMBER 25: Pierce ended the suspense regarding his starter, declaring Wednesday that Minshew “is the quarterback.” It would have been strange for the new HC to bring forth a change so soon, but leaving the door open as he did does leave this situation unstable before September’s end.

SEPTEMBER 24: Gardner Minshew did not finish the Raiders’ Week 3 loss to the Panthers, and Antonio Pierce left the door open to benching the quarterback he went with after a months-long position battle. It does not appear Pierce is ready to pull the plug just yet.

The Raiders parked Minshew during a stunning loss, and Pierce declined to confirm postgame his starting QB plan would remain the same. Aidan O’Connell entered and completed 9 of 12 passes for 82 yards and a touchdown, coming in weeks after losing a close competition to the more experienced passer. O’Connell may well have a chance to start again, but NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport indicates Minshew will remain at the controls for the Raiders in Week 4.

Although Pierce criticized certain Raider players for their effort in the team’s home defeat, Minshew is barely a week removed from leading the team to a comeback win in Baltimore. The former Jaguars and Colts starter completed 30 of 38 passes for 276 yards and a touchdown against the Ravens; a switch to O’Connell two weeks later would certainly feel premature. But a change will be a Raiders storyline to monitor, as this is a transition season that features Minshew as a placeholder.

Signed in the event the Raiders did not end up with a quarterback prospect in the draft, Minshew inked a two-year, $25MM deal. That led all non-Kirk Cousins FA quarterbacks this offseason. Minshew played effectively in helping the Colts stay in the playoff race last season, and Indianapolis currently is not enjoying the kind of stability — albeit without a high ceiling — its primary 2023 starter offered. After ranking 13th in QBR last season, Minshew sits 24th through three games.

The Raiders showed steady interest in trading up for Jayden Daniels, most likely being the only team to submit an offer to the Commanders for No. 2 overall. Las Vegas also discussed the Nos. 3-5 picks, with Pierce potentially readier to part with necessary assets in a trade-up compared to GM Tom Telesco‘s mindset. Linked to Michael Penix Jr., the Raiders were not prepared to trade up for the player the Falcons surprisingly chose at No. 8 overall. Once the Broncos drafted Bo Nix at 12, the Raiders were effectively locked out of first-round-level QBs. They then chose Brock Bowers, effectively tabling their quarterback plan to 2025.

Vegas links to the likes of Carson Beck, Shedeur Sanders and Quinn Ewers figure to emerge in the coming weeks and months, though those passers’ values have yet to crystalize. Minshew’s contract guarantees $3.16 of his $11.84MM 2025 base salary, giving the Raiders some flexibility next year. O’Connell, who started every game during Pierce’s interim HC season (after Jimmy Garoppolo‘s benching), is signed through 2026. He makes more sense as a Raiders 2025 bridge option/eventual backup compared to Minshew, who could be a trade candidate next year.

O’Connell was believed to be ahead of Minshew for several weeks this offseason, only to lose the battle due to the coaching staff’s feeling the latter option was better equipped to help this team avoid a slow start. With the Raiders at 1-2, Minshew will begin to test Pierce’s patience. The 28-year-old passer remains at the helm in Pierce’s first season as a full-time HC. The leash still appears short, as it always looked to be, but the sixth-year passer will hold off O’Connell for at least one more week.

Load More Posts