Updated from OTAs: the quarterback competition for the Las Vegas Raiders
Two quarterbacks for the Los Vegas Raiders are presently competing for the starting position in 2024: veteran Gardner Minshew and second-year signal-caller Aidan O’Connell.
We received some reports from beat writers on the ground regarding the two quarterbacks’ progress during the Raiders’ second open practice of Phase Three of the offseason program, which coincided with their fifth organized team activities exercise.
It didn’t matter who was behind center, according to Tashan Reed of The Athletic, as the defense defeated the offense on Wednesday. That’s not entirely unexpected, though, given how excellent Las Vegas’ defense is expected to be this season.
Reed added that there is no early indication of who is ahead based on that metric because the two quarterbacks split reps with the starting lineup.
However, there was some good news for the quarterbacks as well, according to Raiders.com’s Levi Edwards, who mentioned the following:
With his rapid release to his targets, Aidan O’Connell’s pocket presence keeps getting better, while Gardner Minshew II deftly buys time with his feet to expose coverages.
Regarding the two, Raiders quarterbacks coach Rich Scangarello stated, “They balance each other out really well. They’re both incredible, good personalities.” Though their methods of playing and approaching it differ, their mentalities are similar.
“They are enhancing each other’s best qualities. They’ve taken a lot from us and handled it well.” Minshew has shown “grit” since graduating from college, according to Scangarello, who also said, “He’s got that moxie in him, that baller in him.”
In addition, the quarterbacks coach stated, “I don’t think it will linger,” and he thinks someone will come out on top of the conflict, according to Reed.
We have a long way to go before this competition is resolved because it is unlikely that much will change until the pads are activated. perhaps yet, it may not be known who will start at center in Week 1 until far into the preseason or perhaps later.