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The Las Vegas Raiders are already making a massive offensive change just five games into the season. Gardner Minshew is getting benched and Aidan O’Connell is getting elevated to the starting role.
In a perfect world, O’Connell would play much better than Minshew did and hold the starting job for the rest of the season. However, there’s a reason he lost the quarterback battle in training camp. Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report is predicting that Minshew will eventually reclaim the starting job this season.
“Don’t get your hopes up for Aidan O’Connell, who is 1-for-6 with an interception and a 2.1 passer rating on deep attempts. We haven’t seen the last of Gardner Minshew II in Las Vegas,” Gagnon wrote in an October 11 column.
It’s also possible the Raiders could look at outside options. Ryan Tannehill is a free agent and could make sense. The team could also explore a trade for a quarterback like Russell Wilson. Regardless, O’Connell’s starting job is not safe if he doesn’t play well.
Turnovers Could Decide Aidan O’Connell’s Fate
Perhaps the biggest deciding factor for benching Minshew was his turnover issues. While he completed an impressive 70.7% of his passes, he’s also tied for the fifth-most intercpetions in the NFL with five.
The Raiders aren’t good enough on offense or defense to overcome turnovers. Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy liked some of what Minshew was doing but the team just couldn’t depend on him to take care of the ball.
“I think Gardner did a lot of really good things,” Getsy said during an October 10 press conference. “He really did. I think the expectations of plays, he completely understood it. I think the grasp of the offense, he got it. His ability to function in and out of the huddle, all that stuff …
“I think it just comes down to, we got to make sure we take care of the football. We just had a couple plays here and there that didn’t give us an opportunity to win. And so as a whole, we just decided that we’re going to try another thing.”
O’Connell threw in an interception in Week 5 against the Denver Broncos so there’s no guarantee he’ll be any better but the Raiders need to do something. If can at least limit the turnovers, he should be able to keep the starting job for the rest of the season.
Starting the Season as QB2 Could Be Beneficial for O’Connell
O’Connell had a chance to start 10 games last season so he has experience. However, last season was a rollercoaster. Getsy thinks that O’Connell starting this season on the bench will actually help him in the long run.
“I think it’s always beneficial for young guys to be able to watch, yes. I mean, that part of it is real,” Getsy said. “I’ve experienced that now in my career, too. When young guys get to see it done and go through those processes without having to do it, there’s a huge benefit in that.
“And then there’s probably a bigger benefit in being able to go out and practice that and do that and experience it yourself. So, there’s definitely a benefit, whether it’s more or less. I don’t know the answer to that, but there’s definitely a benefit. And the way that he approaches every single day, honestly, is a testament to him and why he will be ready to go.”
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