he Las Vegas Raiders are still in the early days of the 2024 offseason, so the quarterback rivalry between Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell hasn’t entirely taken shape yet. Head coach Antonio Pierce has mentioned that O’Connell would take the initial reps in practice but Minshew will undoubtedly receive his fair share of looks.
Though the two quarterbacks will be vying for the starting job this offseason, O’Connell is a great supporter of Minshew and made it plain that there’s no animosity between them despite the circumstances.
“There’s competition every day in everything we do, but it’s also like at the end of the day, there’s a mutual respect,” O’Connell said of Minshew on the May 21 episode of “The Rush With Maxx Crosby.”
“I mean, my story’s crazy, his story’s crazy too, you know from what he came from and his experience and what he’s been able to carve out in the NFL for himself and the career he’s had. So truly there’s nothing but respect both ways for men who have done it the hard way and to be able to witness him achieve that. I was a great admirer of him long before I met him because I heard his tale, the wild stories about him and whatnot, so it’s been amazing to get to know him.”
Luke Getsy Talks QB Competition
The Raiders have numerous new coaches on the offensive staff, including offensive coordinator Luke Getsy. He has no affinity to any quarterback on the squad and will have a huge influence on who will ultimately start.
For now, it’s far too early in the process for him to have an opinion of the position.
“I think [it’s] the evaluation of the performance on a whole,” Getsy stated during his May 21 news conference. “There’s a lot of parts to it. I think it’s the manner that the operation [works], making sure we’re taking care of the football, and then the manufacturing element of it. I assume this is a long procedure. We’re just getting started on it. Everyone is attempting to understand what it is that we are attempting to do, not just the Qs.
“We have a solid crew in that room, which is a plus. These men are fierce competitors and hard workers, but they’re also excellent teammates. Thus, this has been a lot of fun at the beginning.
Who Is the Favorite to Start for the Raiders?
The Raiders may be leaning toward one candidate, but it’s unlikely they’ll know for sure until training camp starts in July. It’s unclear how the club will use Minshew on the bench. This offseason, the organization paid him $25 million over two seasons, and he has more experience than O’Connell.
The team will give O’Connell a good opportunity to win, but given Minshew’s contract, Minshew is likely to be chosen if it’s close. For O’Connell to have a legitimate chance of starting in 2024, he must decisively outperform Minshew.
Since 2019, Austin Boyd has covered the Los Angeles Lakers and Las Vegas Raiders for Heavy.com. Originally from Los Angeles and currently residing in Las Vegas, he has been featured on Heavy with interviews with NFL players Joe Montana and Darren Waller as well as an exclusive behind-the-scenes peek at “The Shop.” Additional details on Austin Boyd
