Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell finished his rookie campaign as the team's starter over the last nine games. It was an up-and-down showing overall, but O'Connell did help the Raiders to a 5-4 finish over that stretch and was particularly impressive over his final four games.
Looking ahead to 2024, all eyes are on O'Connell and fellow signal-caller Gardner Minshew, who was signed to a two-year, $25 million deal this offseason to provide competition for the second-year quarterback. The pair will battle it out in training camp for the right to be under center in Week 1.
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O'Connell recently touched on the upcoming quarterback competition and all of the pressure that goes with it during a team event on Saturday.
"It's hard, I still haven't figured that out," O'Connell said of dealing with the pressure of the quarterback competition, according to Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "That's not unique to me but that's a challenge that's going to be ongoing in my career...
"It's taking it day by day and I'm not going to be perfect, I have to remind myself that," he added. "I so badly want to be perfect every time I go out there, and so, try to give myself some grace to fail but also trying to be as perfect as I can. Trying to find that balance is something that's really hard but it's also a challenge I enjoy trying to tackle."
Head coach Antonio Pierce has spoken highly of O'Connell this offseason and has even said the Tulane product has earned the right to get the first snap when the competition kicks off. O'Connell appreciates the confidence Pierce has in him.
"Since really AP started, he's put a lot of confidence in me. He's given me a great opportunity," O'Connell said. "I'm just trying to make the most of the opportunity. It really is a privilege and an opportunity to get to play on the team and get reps at the quarterback position."
There is no shortage of people out there who believe Minshew is the favorite and will ultimately win the job. But don't underestimate O'Connell's standing with the team and the possibility that he could take a big leap in Year 2.
