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The Las Vegas Raiders officially have their head coach and general manager with the hiring of Antonio Pierce and Tom Telesco. Now that the two are officially hired, it’s time to get to work on the roster.
There are some good pieces for the two to work with but the most important position to figure out is quarterback. Aidan O’Connell played well as a rookie and ended the season with 12 touchdowns to seven interceptions and a 5-5 record as a starter. While he showed flashes, Telesco isn’t ready to commit to O’Connell being a starter next season.
The general manager was asked about the Raiders’ quarterback situation and he’s still waiting to evaluate the position.
“I have a lot of learning to do to figure out this team from the inside, not from the outside,” Telesco said in his January 24 introductory press conference. “Aidan played pretty well against [the Chargers], so that’s a plus. … I need to get a lot more in-depth with this team as far as more than just a couple games and then talk with the staff. We’ve got to do that at every position.”
Telesco had eight-time Pro Bowler Philip Rivers and former Rookie of the Year Justin Herbert as his quarterbacks while he was with the Chargers. He knows how important the quarterback position is and that should be a big focus for him this offseason.
Antonio Pierce Gives His Thoughts on Aidan O’Connell
Antonio Pierce stood by Aidan O’Connell through thick and thin during the 2023 season. Even when the rookie was struggling, Pierce decided against benching him for the more experienced Jimmy Garoppolo.
Similar to Tom Telesco, Pierce isn’t ready to commit to O’Connell next season but he’s happy the quarterback was able to get experience.
“I thought you saw growth with Aidan,” Pierce said during the introductory press conference. “I thought at the end of the season, he was playing some really good football. … I think he put himself in a position to learn what it’s like to be in the offseason because he can reflect on what he just did. If he didn’t have those opportunities, he would never know what mistakes he made.”
It’s going to be a pivotal offseason for O’Connell. The Raiders provide him the best chance to start and if he shows improvement to the team, they could consider holding off on making a big move for a quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Aidan O’Connell Should Compete for Starting QB Job
Aidan O’Connell doesn’t have elite athletic traits. He doesn’t move much out of the pocket and had 11 rushing yards on the season. However, he’s got a solid arm and while his accuracy fluctuates, he’s proven that he can fit the ball into tight windows. His accuracy should be less erratic with more experience.
Now, O’Connell’s upside is low. His lack of mobility likely means the best he’ll ever be is an above-average starter. Is that good enough to win the AFC? That’s up for Antonio Pierce and Tom Telesco to decide. O’Connell at the very least proved that he deserves to be in the mix for the starting quarterback job next season. The Raiders likely need to trade up to get one of the top quarterbacks in the 2024 draft but if a trade doesn’t materialize, O’Connell should compete for the starting job.
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