Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak suggested earlier in the offseason that Aidan O’Connell could compete for the starting quarterback spot, but it has become clear in training camp that the real competition is between Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza. O’Connell has looked good in practice, but results have been mixed in the preseason games.
At the same time, he’s been playing with a lot of players who won’t even make the final roster, so it might not be fair to fully judge him based on the preseason games. However, that still may not be enough for him to make the roster.
ESPN’s Ryan McFadden put together a 53-man roster prediction, and he believes that O’Connell will not be on the team at the start of the season.
“In this exercise, the Raiders decided to stick with two quarterbacks,” McFadden wrote. “Kubiak said during training camp that he had three NFL-ready quarterbacks on the roster. Mendoza has shown enough that if the Raiders needed him to step in sooner than expected, the team is confident the No. 1 pick will be ready to go. As for Aidan O’Connell, he could be a good trade candidate for a team that’s looking to add a quarterback with starter experience.”
Kubiak Open to Keeping 3 QBs
O’Connell may have some trade value, but it won’t be much. He has started 17 games in his career, which could be appealing to teams that don’t have a good backup quarterback situation.
However, O’Connell’s Raiders tenure isn’t officially over. Cousins has an older player with a recent injury history, and Mendoza is a rookie. Having O’Connell would give the team a bit more security at quarterback.
Roster spots are valuable, and many teams don’t keep three quarterbacks on the active roster anymore. According to Kubiak, the Raiders may have to make an exception this year.
“Those guys are going to make us make hard decisions, which is a great thing, that competition. We’re talking through it. It’s part of the discussion,” Kubiak told reporters recently.
Tre Tucker Praises Mendoza
For O’Connell, getting cut may not be the worst thing that could happen to him. He would only play this season if there are injuries, and even if he played well, he’s not the quarterback of the future.
Mendoza hasn’t won the starting quarterback job yet, but he’s going to be the long-term starter. He’s still dealing with some rookie growing pains, but he’s continuing to improve, according to wide receiver Tre Tucker.
“He gets better every time he goes out there,” Tucker said of Mendoza. “Every snap he takes, he gets better, and that’s what you’re looking for, especially for a guy like him. It was really cool to just kind of see him command the offense, and that’s what you expect from a quarterback.”
Mendoza may have to wait to get on the field this season, but he’s looked good in training camp and the preseason thus far. He’s still got a lot to prove, but the early signs are promising.
Raiders QB Gets Bad News With Latest Roster Prediction