The Las Vegas Raiders have been hungry this offseason, going all the way back to the winter months when All-Pro defensive end Maxx Crosby was influencing his teammates to join him at the facility.
As the weeks went on, more and more Raiders filled the building, with hopes that their early commitment would make a difference this coming season.
One of the participants was the team's leader on offense, second-year quarterback Aidan O'Connell.
"Me and my wife are both from the Midwest, and so, I think a big part of it was just we didn't want to go back to the cold, we just wanted to stay in Vegas," O'Connell told reporters on Tuesday. "But obviously, just to be here with our strength coaches in our facility with the resources we have is awesome. And so, yeah, we love this area, we love to be here and to live here, and so, we wanted to stay and also get some great work in in our facility."
O'Connell discussed the benefits of being around during the offseason.
"Obviously, getting ready, getting my body ready, and of all the things that go into it, but also being around the guys, the guys that were in the building, and getting some camaraderie with guys maybe I don't know as well throughout the offseason," O'Connell said. "And so, it was fun to kind of build those relationships, build the relationships with even the strength coaches who I got to know a little bit as a rookie but you're kind of just thrown in the fire. And so, just to kind of take a deep breath and get to enjoy the time in the facility was fun."
O'Connell started 10 games for the Raiders last season, including the final nine when he helped lead them to a 5-4 finish down the stretch. He now finds himself in a position battle with veteran quarterback Gardner Minshew II, who is looking to claim the starter title himself.
O'Connell has the upper hand because he is familiar with the franchise and finished last year as the starter, but he will still have to earn it this summer.
